One Eternal Round
by Jessica Wolfe
Summary: Miaka, Suzaku no Miko, has died, following her last seishi to the grave. Now everyone has been reborn into the real world, but their ties to Suzaku, and each other, have not been severed.
1. Prologue: So It Ends

**So It Ends**

Chichiri stared at his best friend and tried not to cry. The once powerful bandit had been reduced, by sickness and age, to a shadow of his former self. There were dark circles beneath the golden eyes and his skin was paper thin and sallow. Tasuki's breath came in painful gasps due to a collapsed lung from a recent war wound. Watching his friend sleep in obvious pain, Chichiri finally closed his good eye and let the tears fall. He'd always hoped not to be the last one left alive, yet something had always whispered that it would be so. Something brushed his cheek and the monk opened his eye to see Tasuki looking at him.

"Ya shouldn't cry for me y'know," the bandit said softly.

Chichiri nodded, trying to dry the tears on his cheeks. "It's not just for you, no da. I never really cried for Nuriko, Chiriko, or Hotohori when they died the first time. I was too busy being strong for everyone else. But now..."

Chichiri bent his head as the tears began to flow again.

"Come here," said Tasuki.

Chichiri knelt at the side of the futon and placed his head on Tasuki's chest as he sobbed. The younger man placed his hand on his friend's head trying to offer what comfort he could. After a time the tears stopped and Chichiri raised his head.

"Gomen, Tasuki," said Chichiri as he wiped his nose on his sleeve, "I got your shirt all wet."

Tasuki let out a wheezing laugh which quickly disintegrated into coughing. The fit was so bad that Chichiri had to help the flame-haired man roll onto his side as he brought up blood. When he was finally able to breathe again, Tasuki laid back on the futon weakly.

"I should go now," said Chichiri. "You need rest."

Tasuki grabbed the older man's hand.

"Chichiri, onegai, don't leave me. I don't want to be alone when I die."

Chichiri's heart constricted painfully but he held onto Tasuki's hand and smoothed the bangs from his forehead.

"Rest now Tasuki. I'll be here when you wake up."

The redhead nodded and relaxed against the futon. For one panic-stricken moment Chichiri thought he had died, so still did he lay. Then he caught the slight rise of Tasuki's chest as he took a breath. Chichiri settled himself cross-legged at the side of the futon and stilled his mind. His intent had been to meditate until Tasuki woke up again, but days and nights of sleeplessness finally took their toll on the aged monk and he slept.

Tasuki slept for a few hours and then woke abruptly. He was about to call out for Chichiri when he noticed his friend sitting nearby, sleeping. A smile touched the ex-bandit's lips as he studied the monk's sleeping face. The years had been kind to the blue-haired man leaving just a few lines on his face and thinning his frame a little. Tasuki couldn't see a trace of the hard life that Chichiri had led on his sleeping face.

After the last battle with Tenkou, Chichiri and Tasuki had wandered the length and breadth of Konan looking for the reborn seishi. It took nearly six years of searching, but all four of them had been found. Tasuki and Chichiri had kept tabs on them, but as they grew older they showed no signs of regaining their powers or old memories. Then the wars had started. Kouji had been killed along with many of the bandits of Mt. Reikaku. Fearing for their reborn friends, the monk and ex-bandit had set out to see them.

They found Mitsukake and Shoka's village in ruins with every person and animal slaughtered and left to rot. A plague had struck Hotohori and Nuriko's village devastating the population and leaving the couple's two oldest children dead. Chiriko was safe in the palace in Eiyou with Emperor Boushin and his young Empress. Boushin lead his armies to victory for three years before following his father to the grave, leaving his wife and two sons behind. Plagues continued to sweep the land taking the lives of many including Chiriko, Hotohori, and Nuriko. Tasuki and Chichiri were truly alone now.

Tired of reminiscing and feeling a growing sense of detachment, Tasuki decided to wake Chichiri. A gentle touch on his sleeve woke the monk.

"Is it time?" asked the blue-haired man.

"Soon," said Tasuki. "Chichiri there are a few things I want you to do."

Tasuki could see the pain in his friend's good eye as he nodded.

"Just name it."

"I want you to take the tessen to the Shrine of Suzaku in the palace. It should rest there with the other Treasures."

Chichiri nodded. Tasuki knew the monk had planned to give his prayer beads and staff to the shrine when he passed on too.

"And, I want you to take my ashes to my family's grave."

Again, Chichiri nodded.

"And one last thing. I want you to go live in the palace. A while ago you were invited to stay there as an advisor to Houki while Boushin was still growing up. I think Empress Ayami and Boushin's sons could use your help now. You may be the last of the Suzaku Seishi but you don't have to be alone."

Chichiri bowed his head, taking the gentle reprimand.

"I'll think about it," sais the monk.

In a surprising show of strength, Tasuki pushed himself up and reached out to catch the front of Chichiri's shirt.

"You'll do it or I'll haunt you, I swear I will."

Chichiri managed a small laugh and removed Tasuki's hand.

"Alright. If it means so much to you."

Tasuki nodded and lay back against the futon and he slept again. This time Chichiri remained awake in a state of meditation. For how long he didn't know, but Tasuki's voice brought him back to awareness.

"What is it Tasuki?" asked the monk.

"It's Nuriko," said Tasuki softly.

Chichiri's heart nearly stopped. The reality of Tasuki's death hadn't really hit him till that moment.

"And Hotohori and Mitsukake. Chiriko. They're all here. Even Tamahome."

"Go with them, Tasuki," said Chichiri as tears streamed down his face. "I'll be along soon. I just have a few things to take care of."

Tasuki turned his face from whatever vision he was seeing and looked at his lifelong friend.

"You'll find me, won't you?" asked the ex-bandit.

Chichiri took Tasuki's hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'll find you, though gods and demons bar the way. No matter what form we're in, I'll find you. We are friends forever."

Tasuki nodded and closed his eyes. The breath left his body in a gentle sigh and his grip on Chichiri's hand went slack. For a moment Chichiri did nothing, then with an anguished cry he leaned over his friend's still form.

"Tasuki!" he screamed.

For the first time since the flood that had taken Kouran and Hikou, Chichiri felt truly alone. He wept bitterly, wishing that death would come and release him from his torment. As his heart grieved a gentle presence touched his mind. He grasped at the presence like a drowning man grasps a lifeline. Slowly his loneliness ebbed and he recognized the presence.

"Miaka," he said, eye wide with wonder.

"But how," he started to ask, when the answer came to him.

_She's dying_, he thought.

Chichiri bent his head as fresh tears coursed down his cheeks. A tender smile brightened the face of the old warrior as the tears ran. These were tears of gratitude, though, not tears of despair. He took courage knowing that his miko and all his friends would be waiting for him when the end came. Chichiri looked at Tasuki's still form again and a slight smile crossed his lips.

_So peaceful, _thought the blue-haired seishi as he composed his friend's body. A_ peace that he never really gained in life he finally gained in death._

Chichiri's hand caught on one of Tasuki's necklaces and he lifted it over the dead man's head.

"I'll keep this to remind me of you," Chichiri said.

The golden medallion winked at him as he put the necklace around his neck. Then taking the tessen, he placed a farewell kiss on his friend's forehead and left the tent. Chichiri gathered his ki and said a quick cantrip. The tent and it's contents flared brightly and then settled into a cheery blaze. When the fire had died, the monk produced an ornate urn from his kasa and gathered the ashes into it. Then he set off for Tasuki's village. Though the trip took weeks, Chichiri didn't seem to notice. His heart was light knowing that when he'd fulfilled his promise to his friend that they'd be reunited.

The monk stopped briefly at the Kou family grave to leave Tasuki's ashes and pray for the family. Then he left for the palace in Konan. Empress Ayami was more than happy to have his help as she raised her sons and prepared the oldest to rule. The oldest son, Saiete, after his grandfather, grew and learned quickly. Under the tutelage of his mother and Chichiri he became a just and compassionate ruler. Chichiri had been at the palace for ten years when he finally passed away.

He had gone into the imperial gardens to meditate. The gardeners moved about quietly so as not to disturb the elderly monk. In the quiet summer twilight Chichiri prayed to his god.

_Suzaku, your country is safe and peaceful once again. A good young man sits on the throne and I believe that prosperous times are ahead. I have lived a long life and I am the only living seishi left in this world. I am tired._

Chichiri heard the soft call of a phoenix. A deep voice seemed to follow in it's wake.

**You have done well my warrior. Take your rest and be at peace.**

Chichiri smiled and his breath left him in a long sigh.

Empress Ayami began to worry when Chichiri didn't show up for supper and when night fell and he still hadn't appeared, she sent out search parties. They found him still in the gardens, sitting under his favorite tree. He seemed to be asleep with his back against the strong trunk and a slight smile on his face. Repeated attempts to wake him failed though and a doctor was summoned. The last seishi of Suzaku was pronounced dead and plans were laid for a state burial.

Chichiri's staff and beads, along with all the other Treasures of the Suzaku Shichiseishi were placed in a spot of reverence in the Shrine of Suzaku and their owners passed into legend.

* * *

In the real world, Miaka Yuki lay in a hospital in Tokyo. She was dying at the age of forty-eight. Her beloved Taka had passed on only the month previous. Two weeks ago Miaka had fallen into a coma. The hospital staff had hopes for her recovery because of the fact that she was heard to speak on occasion. Kiesuke, Tetsuya, and Yui had kept Miaka company as she lay in the hospital. They listened as she talked to members of the Suzaku Seishi. 

Yui was there the day that Miaka finally passed away. She had come to visit Miaka as she had ever since Miaka had come to the hospital. She walked into Miaka's room and was surprised to see her friend awake.

"Yui," said Miaka with a fond smile.

Yui leaned heavily against the doorframe and raised her hand to her mouth. Then she rushed to her friend's side.

"Oh Miaka," she sobbed.

Miaka placed a hand under her friend's chin and raised her face so she could look at her.

"I can't stay long," said Miaka.

Yui gulped back a sob and nodded.

"They're all gone now," said Miaka, "even Chichiri. That's why I held on so long. He was so afraid of being alone."

Yui tried to remember what she knew of Miaka's blue-haired warrior. The image that came to her was of a strong man on whom everyone leaned. She couldn't imagine him being scared, but then she didn't know him like Miaka had.

"I just wanted to say goodbye."

Yui brought her attention back to the present and her friend. She managed a slight smile through her tears.

"I'm glad you did, or I would've had to sick Tetsuya on you."

Miaka laughed and then her eyes grew distant.

"They're here for me. All of them."

Miaka's eyes misted over, and Yui could swear she felt the presence of seven others in the room.

"Tamahome," the Suzaku no Miko whispered, "I've missed you so much."

_I've missed you to, Miaka, _came the almost inaudible answer.

"Tama-home," Miaka whispered as her eyes closed.

Warm arms encircled her and seven friendly faces greeted her.

_We're all together again at last, _she thought happily.

* * *

Author's Note: 

This story was previously posted under a joint account that I had with Ani Wolfstar under the title 'Circle of the Round'. Since we both never seem to do anything with that account, we've decided to move the story here, and I'm hoping it'll get a bit more publicity here. The 'Wolfe Wolfestar' account will be unused now, so check back here for updates on this story. Thanks!!!


	2. 1 And So It Begins

**And So It Begins**

The girl set her backpack on her desk and opened it. As she began pulling out books so she could begin her homework, her hand stopped and hovered over a worn red book.

"This wasn't here earlier," she said to herself.

She pulled the book out and opened to the first page. There was one sentence written. The rest of the book was empty.

_And so it was that the followers of Suzaku were again to be challenged and tested_.

The girl closed the book and ran her hand over the worn cover.

"I wonder where I got this. I must have accidently brought it home from the library."

She set the book on her desk and opened it again. How strange that it was blank. Perhaps it was a diary of some kind. The phone rang drawing her attention.

"Honey, it's for you," the girl's mother called.

"Thanks! I'll take it up here."

The girl moved to the phone by her door. As she moved writing appeared in the book.

_And thus the medium began her journey towards her destiny.

* * *

_

Takeo bounced into the living room of her friends' dorm apartment. The two occupants turned at the intrusion.

"Hey guys! Wanna see my new anime?" she asked, waving two video tapes.

"What's anime?" asked Thane. She was at the table finishing her music theory homework, while her roommate, Chani, worked on an art project. Channon, nicknamed Chani, rolled her eyes at her roommate.

"You know those Japanese cartoons I've been trying to get you to watch all year?" asked Chani. "Those are anime."

Thane pulled a face. "Aren't we a little too old for cartoons?"

Chani turned to Takeo. "Just put the show in. She needs to be educated sometime, now is as good as any. Which one is it by the way?"

"It's one I got over the weekend," said the black-haired girl. "It's called Fushigi Yuugi."

"Ooh, I haven't heard of that one," Chani said excitedly.

Thane, not having anything else to do, decided to humor her best friend and Takeo. Thane was an athletic girl with waist length flaming red hair and cool golden eyes. She excelled at kick boxing and put forth a bad girl attitude, but her closest friends knew her soft side. Guys had never been an interest to Thane in a romantic way, although they made great friends.

Channon, or Chani, was blonde with contemplative brown eyes. She practiced yoga and tai-chi regularly and occasionally spared with Thane. Even though she was younger than most of her friends, excluding Thane, they usually turned to her for advice. Chani had a good head on her shoulders and everyone, from child to adult, liked to take advantage of her wisdom. With a father in the army she had been to many places in her life, including as far away as Australia. Chani often confessed to Thane that she missed what she termed the 'wandering life'.

Takeo was a black-haired beauty. Her mid-thigh length hair carried natural purple highlights. If she was excited or angry her green eyes flashed sparks, causing many a man to keel over in complete adoration. Sometimes Thane and Chani laughed to see Takeo get gifts from guys that she didn't know. She was willowy and graceful with an unintentional dominating presence. She sported a beauty mark by her left eye. Takeo was also the person that had introduced Chani to anime at the beginning of the year.

Takeowas the only one with a boyfriend out of the three, a handsome young man by the name of Alan Wright. Alan was a good friend, but Thane and Chani both considered him a good run against Narcissus. He was in love with Takeo, and himself.

As the opening song started and the characters went by, all three girls sat forward. Although no one said anything aloud, they were all thinking the same thing. The characters in the anime looked very familiar, but no one knew why.

By the time the second video was over they'd watched eight episodes, and all of them wanted more. Thane had a strange feeling that she knew what was coming next, but for the life of her could not understand why. But now she knew why anime was so popular with her friends. She was officially hooked.

"So guys what do you think?" Takeo asked.

The other two sat there for a minute.

"It seems familiar," Chani said, "but I'm sure I've never even heard of Fushigi Yuugi."

"That one guy from the opening, the red head? He looks cool," Thane said.

"You would go for the bandit," Takeo laughed.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well I did some checking up like I always do before I get an anime," Takeo explained, "and that guy's name is Tasuki. He's some sort of bandit."

"Well whatever his name is, that fire thing he does in the opening is pretty cool," Thane defended herself.

"Personally I like the guy with the staff," Chani said. "He looks a little like Miroku from Inuyasha."

"Refresh my memory, which one's Miroku?" Takeo asked.

"You know the lecherous monk."

"Oh yeah, the guy that wants to get it on with girls even though he's got the kazaana in his hand."

The two girls laughed and Thane tuned them out as they kept talking about anime that she was clueless about. Actually she had time to read a chapter in her favorite book, The Power of One, and make herself some ramen with peas. She got out her chopsticks to eat and waited until the conversation could turn to something she knew.

"Well I better go," Takeo finally said, "I've got an early class in the morning."

Chani said her goodnights to Takeo, and Thane waved goodbye as she rushed off to the bathroom. When she came out she found her roommate on her yoga mat in some twisted position that Thane couldn't even begin to imitate.

"I've never figured out how you twist your body that way," Thane commented as she changed into her pajamas. "Doesn't that hurt?"

Chani merely untangled herself and stood. "No, not if you've done it long enough," she said. She began her tai-chi exercise of the evening. "Do you want me to teach you?"

Thane shuddered. "I've spent the last eight years of my life dedicated to kick-boxing, and I'm still not as limber as you, but there's no way in Hades you could keep up with me in a race."

Chani lifted an eyebrow and paused her exercise. "Oh really? Is that a challenge?"

Thane grinned at her roommate. "What if it is?" she asked.

Chani finished and turned to Thane. "When do you want to race?"

Thane pretended to think about it and then looked at her roommate. "Tomorrow night at seven, okay?"

Chani stuck her hand out and Thane gripped it. The handshake sealed the deal and the two girls climbed into bed. They constantly went out of their way to challenge each other, Chani sometimes winning, sometimes Thane. But mostly it was a draw.

* * *

"Julie!" Jason called to his wife, "Julie have you seen Skyler?"

Julie looked up from her dinner at her tall pre-med husband Jason Rivers. His tall frame and broad shoulders filled the doorway. Every time she looked at him Julie remembered what had made her fall in love with this gentle, quiet man.

He'd been in a car accident nearly ten years ago, only fourteen, with his parents and little sister, Skyler, who had only been four at the time. Julie had been thirteen, and she remembered the day when handsome Jason Rivers had come to school on crutches and removed his belongings from his locker.

_"Where are you going Jason?" the mouse-haired girl asked._

_"I'm going to live with my aunt," Jason replied, "my parents are dead." _

_A single tear trickled down his cheek as he removed a picture of his family from his locker. Unlike most of the junior high boys who tried to be macho, Jason loved his family openly and didn't care who knew it. His big build discouraged bullies, and Jason spent most of his time protecting the weak and lonely._

_"I'm so sorry Jason. Will you write to me?" Julie asked._

_Jason turned and flashed a quick, painful smile at the small seventh grader._

_"Sure I will," he said, "just give me your address."_

_Julie hastily scribbled it on a piece of notebook paper and handed it to Jason. He folded it like it was a treasured gift and put it in his pocket. Then, unexpectedly, he reached forward as best he could on crutches, and enveloped the slight girl in a massive hug._

_"I'll write Julie." he promised. "I will."_

And he had. Even now, married as they were, Jason still wrote her letters, and Julie kept a steadily growing pile in a big wooden box in their bedroom. They'd been married for three years now, ever since Julie had graduated from high school.

Skyler and Jason didn't want to be parted, and so Julie had welcomed the precocious teenager into her home. She loved Skyler anyway, the little bookworm always had some unusual fact of some far-away culture that kept Julie interested in whatever the younger girl had to say.

"I'll bet she's at the library love," Julie said brightly. "That's where she usually is this time of day."

"You're probably right, as usual," Jason teased, "I'll go and get her for dinner." He stepped forward and planted a tender kiss on Julie's forehead. She laughed and pushed him towards the door.

"Go, love," she said, "if you don't get her soon she'll eat a cold meal."

Jason laughed and opened the front door, just as Skyler's books dropped onto the front doormat.

"Hi Jason!" the fourteen-year-old said. "Can you help me with some of these?"

Jason looked down at the pile of books on the ground and raised an eyebrow. Some of the books had to be four inches thick. Bending down he looked at some of the titles.

"History of Chinese Culture? Japanese Zen Buddhist Philosophy? Why do you even need to know all of these things Skyler?" Jason asked.

"Remember that club that I told you about? The one on ancient Chinese culture and philosophy? Well these are some of the books that the teacher recommended," Skyler replied. The spunky brunette looked at her brother with a twinkle in her amazingly blue eyes. "I'll be done with them in about a week."

"I don't care how long it takes you to read them, just as long as you get your regular schoolwork done," Jason admonished.

"That? I'm usually done with my homework before the class is even finished. Jason, you know that."

"Whatever kid," he said with an affectionate smile.

Julie walked out of the kitchen to find the two siblings staggering in with a pile of giant books.

"Oh Skyler! Home from the library I see," she giggled. "Your friend Leilani called. She wanted to know when the next meeting of the Chinese club was. You can call her back after dinner. I made your favorite, ham fried rice, with cashew chicken and wantons."

Jason and Skyler looked at each other and simultaneously dropped the books on the nearby couch. Julie dodged as the two raced into the kitchen for their dinner.

"I never can make enough for those two," she laughed to herself. "But I'm sure glad that they like what I cook."

* * *

The twilight was deepening the next evening when Thane and Chani stretched out for their race. Chani wore her usual green capri pants and white tee-shirt, and Thane looked pale in white sweat pants and white shirt. Around the shirt she belted her blue kick boxing belt. 

"Can't you even wear colors?" Chani teased.

"I dunno," Thane replied, "I like these."

"And what's with the belt?"

"It brings me luck. Why are you complaining? At least it adds color," Thane teased back with a fanged grin. Thane's canines had always been just a little longer than the average tooth giving her a slightly vampire-ish look.

"Okay, okay I give in. Wear your good luck charms, it's not like they're going to help you win." Chani shrugged and went back stretching. As she bent over a red and yellow beaded necklace with a gold pendant fell out of her shirt. Tasuki caught a gleam from the pendant and glanced over at her friend. When she saw the necklace she arched an eyebrow.

"Speaking of good luck charms?" she asked mockingly.

Chani laughed and tucked it back in her shirt.

"This? I've always had this necklace. I found it somewhere I guess, when I was tiny so I don't remember when I got it. And you're right it is a good luck necklace," she explained good-naturedly.

Takeo stood at the starting line of the track with a stop watch.

"Okay guys, just once around alright?" she asked. "Then I have a surprise for you."

Thane and Chani looked at each other. A surprise from Takeo was either food or a movie. Both of them secretly hoped it was the next video of Fushigi Yuugi.

"All right, once around," Thane said.

"I'm gonna win," Chani teased.

Thane raised an eyebrow and grunted. Takeo held up her hand.

"Okay guys, here goes. On your marks, get set, go!"

Chani and Thane were off like a shot down the track. Chani would gain a little lead, then Thane, but they stayed neck and neck for a good part of the race.

_Gotta move faster, gotta move faster. _The words became a chant in Thane's head. It felt like she was slowing down. As she watched though, the track became a blur.

Chani was so amazed at Thane's speed that she stopped.

_There is no humanly possible way that anybody can move that fast_, the blonde thought. _Although, it feels like I've seen someone do this before_.

Thane actually went around the track four times before Chani and Takeo got her to stop. Her time was one minute and twenty-two seconds.

"Hey you nearly ran a one minute mile!" Takeo teased. Thane looked confused.

"What happened to you?" Chani asked. Her roommate looked at her as if Chani was daft.

"What do you mean what happened to me?" Thane asked, "I went around the track once like we agreed. What, did you stop or something?"

Chani looked hard into her roommates eyes. No, the golden eyed wonder was telling the truth, that was something Chani was sure of.

"You ran around the track four times."

Thane laughed. "Get out, I did not."

"No, really you did," Takeo insisted.

Thane shrugged. "Whatever you guys. Let's just go home. This race is a draw, as usual." Turning to Takeo she asked, "So what's the surprise? Treats or more Fushigi Yuugi?"

Takeo laughed at the question. "Do you guys know me that well?"

"Hai," the other two chorused.

"Well tonight is an extra special surprise, because it's both."

"Yay!" Chani cried, jumping up into the air. When she landed Thane tickled her and then ran off. No matter how hard she tried Chani could not ever catch her. Thane was just too fast.

"Well, you'll never beat me at swimming," Chani cried as she gave up the chase. "You're too scared of the water to even compete."

"So sue me, I just don't like water that I can drown in!" Thane yelled back. She stuck her tongue out at the other girl.

"You two stop it or else I'm not sharing what I have," Takeo admonished.

"Hai onee-san," the younger two teased.

Chani started to laugh, the other two joining in. They laughed all the way back to the dorms.

* * *

Two figures, a man and a woman, knelt before the throne of their master, Lord Toshi. 

"Tenkou-sama thought he could defeat the servants of Suzaku," Toshi said, "and my master failed."

His servants knelt before him silent and respectful. As if suddenly remembering their presence, Toshi looked down.

"Do you remember the defeat of our master?" he asked.

Yukio, the man, looked up. "I do, my lord."

"Do you know why he was defeated?"

"We do not, master," the woman, Kyoko, said.

Toshi stood and walked to stand before his servants. He placed a hand on each of their heads in a fatherly gesture.

"Because Suzaku's servants knew who they were. They knew the powers granted them to save the world. But now they've been reborn, and there are none that have the memories of who they were." He returned to his throne, lounging casually. "I'm going to destroy them before they can remember. Beginning with the strongest."

He stood abruptly, his long golden hair and ornate kimono seeming to flutter in a breeze that didn't touch the rest of the room.

"Kyoko! Yukio! Prepare yourselves for the defeat of the Suzaku Shichiseishi. First, I'm going to remove the sorcerer, Chichiri."

Toshi stretched out his hand and it was enveloped in a black light. A man in a dark suit sprang up from one of the many shadows in the Great Hall. He bowed to Toshi.

"Go. Gather your minions and do not return until Chichiri, the Sorcerer of the Suzaku Shichiseishi, is lying in a puddle of his own blood," Toshi commanded.

The man in a suit bowed and vanished into the shadows.


	3. 2 The First Star

**The First Star**

Chani, Thane, Alan, and Takeo were walking to dinner at the local hamburger joint. They were out of school for the weekend, and all of them were excited for two days of freedom. Alan and Takeo were holding hands and walked slightly behind Chani and Thane.

"So do you think that they're going to get engaged?" Thane softly asked Chani.

"I think they are already," Chani answered back with a small laugh. "Just minus the official asking and the ring."

The two friends laughed and glanced back at the lovers. Takeo was leaning into Alan's arm and they looked as if they were in another world. The sun had just gone down and the buildings were casting lengthening shadows across the streets. None of them noticed a man dressed in a dark suit step out of the shadows behind them.

"Hey, do you–" Thane started to say when Chani stopped in her tracks. Thane kept walking, not noticing that her friend had stopped. Takeo and Alan nearly walked into Chani so absorbed were they in each other.

"Hey girl-turned-pillar, what's up?" Alan asked.

"I don't know," Chani answered, "I just feel–"

Suddenly Takeo pitched into Alan with a cry. The three others gaped in horror at the dark knife protruding from Takeo's shoulder.

"Takeo!" Alan shouted.

"Yelling isn't going to help her, heika," came a sneering voice.

Thane and Chani whirled around to face a handsome man dressed in a black suit. Chani's head started to ache as she placed herself between her friends and the man. Somewhere in the back of her mind she saw a yellow haired man with a suit of armor, then a white haired man, attacking someone she felt strongly about. Beside her fought fellow warriors, united in a single cause. Fighting as...

_The group stood in front of a gateway to the demon world. Tamahome, known now as Taka, was floating in the air, arms outstretched. Miaka lay on the ground._

_As Chichiri watched, his priestess got to her feet and demanded the precious Jewels of Memory back._

No, before that...

_Nakago was standing in front of the doorway where the ceremony to call Seiryuu-seikun was about to take place. Chichiri was hit with a massive blast of ki and immediately dispelled it so that Tamahome and Miaka were spared._

And then...

_They were the only ones left. Tasuki and Chichiri stood at the side of the composed body of the late Hotohori, their emperor, and friend. Then Miaka's brother called to them and they'd visited Miaka's world. They'd defeated Nakago. Together. _

_No matter who died, no matter what worlds they had to cross they always fought together. And always fought as..._

"A warrior of Suzaku," Chani whispered. The black-clad man stepped back.

"No. This cannot be." He stretched both hands forward and more dark blades appeared in his hands. "My lord said you did not remember!"

The man threw the black knives at Thane and Alan and Chani sprang into action as the world seemed to slow down.

"Incoming!" she yelled as she placed herself between her friends and the black blades.

Chani's hand came up in front of her face, index and middle fingers pointed up and the other two and the thumb folded into her palm. Words fell from her lips and to her eyes a red barrier of light sprang up between herself and the dark man. The dark blades came into contact with the red glow and disintegrated into nothing.

"Who are you?" Chani asked, her voice low and dangerous as the red light disappeared.

Thane stared at Chani and only dimly saw a red glow surrounded her neck, settling on blonde girl like a mantle. Thane's eyes widened as a necklace of green and red beads appeared around her friend's neck.

"I asked you a question," Chani said, stalking forward towards the man.

Thane tried to hold her back, but the other girl threw her off. Alan knelt and cradled Takeo in his lap.

"You are my enemy, and I am yours," the man sneered. "Is there any other thing you need to know?"

"Who sent you?" Chani demanded.

"Another eternal enemy of yours."

Chani clenched her teeth as her anger got the best of her. A flood of heat washed through her body as she glared at the man. She lifted her hand and pointed it at the shadow-man.

"I do not care how many enemies I have, I will not allow you to hurt my friends!"

A bolt of raw red light ripped out of Chani's hand, and both she and the man flew backwards because of the force of the blast. Chani landed painfully, taking the fall on her backside and elbows. She sat up in time to see the man vanish into a nearby shadow. Thane and Alan stared at Chani in amazement.

"What did you do to him?" asked Alan.

"I, I'm not entirely sure," said Chani in a shaky voice.

The blonde stared at her hands which seemed to be overlaid with an image of strong, masculine hands. Chani became aware of someone shaking her and calling her name. She looked up and saw Thane, only it wasn't Thane. His fangs were a little more pronounced and his hair more ragged and wild. The amber eyes were the same though, as was the worry that shone in the golden depths.

"Chani are you okay?" the red-haired man asked.

"Tasuki? Is that you?"

Thane shook Chani roughly and the vision vanished. "C'mon Chani, you're scaring me. What was that red light, and why are you calling me Tasuki?"

Chani closed her eyes and shook her head. With supreme strength of will Chani banished the strange memories running through her head. She looked at her friend and smiled.

"I'm okay now. I just got a bit of a shock from that strange guy."

Thane stared into Chani's eyes and saw confusion lurking in the brown depths, but didn't say anything more. She just nodded and helped the blonde to her feet. They turned to Alan who still cradled Takeo in his arms. The knife in her shoulder had disappeared with the man and the black-haired girl was coming around.

"Hey guys, what's up?" said Takeo. She noticed Alan holding her and the worried expressions of the faces of her friends. "Did I faint or something?"

Not sure how to explain what they'd seen the three friends just nodded.

"Yeah, you fainted," said Alan as he hugged her tightly.

"Hey Chani," said Takeo as Alan helped her to her feet, "where did you get that necklace?"

Chani's hand went to her neck and she pulled the string of green and red beads adorned with blue tassels into her field of vision. She stared at them for a moment and then tucked them under her shirt.

"I've had them on all night. They must have fallen out when that guy attacked us." Chani could feel Thane's eyes boring holes into the back of her head, but she resolutely ignored her roommate.

Takeo just nodded and tugged on Alan's hand. "I'm starving! Lets go eat before another wacko in a suit jumps us."

Alan laughed and the two lovers walked off as if nothing had happened. Chani started after them and then turned when Thane didn't follow.

"You comin'?" asked the blonde.

Thane stalked toward Chani and she had a vision of the red-haired man again. She knew that he was going to bawl her out so she smiled in her most disarming fashion and looped her arm through his.

"Come on Tasuki, we'll be late for dinner, no da," said Chani.

"You and I are going to have a long talk when we get home," growled Thane.

* * *

Dinner was a slightly tense affair between Chani and Thane, and before the others were done Thane had to leave for a late practice with the show choir so the talk was postponed. Chani went home after saying goodnight to Alan and Takeo. She changed into her pajamas and went to bed knowing that Thane would be back late. 

Alan walked Takeo back to her dorm room and made sure she was safely inside before he truly relaxed.

"Alan, what happened to Chani back there?" Takeo asked her boyfriend as he gently led her into her bedroom and made her sit on the bed. He'd refused to let Takeo exert herself all that much, and had insisted walking her home. He pulled off one of her shoes before he answered.

"Chani just managed to scare off some psycho," he replied. "It's no big deal. You got hit by something and fainted." He pulled off the other shoe.

Takeo gave her boyfriend with a skeptical look. Alan knew that she didn't believe him, but the face that he gave her told her that he wasn't about to open up.

_That's okay, _she thought_, I'll just ask Thane or Chani later._

After Alan left, Takeo felt a late night ice cream, book reading, music listening moment come over her. Shutting the door to her room she began to change out of her clothes and into her pajamas. She pulled her shirt up over her head and, as she twisted to throw the shirt in her closet, she saw something on her back. Just by her right shoulder was a black mark, a small Japanese character.

"This is new," she muttered as she went and got her Japnese/English dictionary. Flipping through the pages she finally found the symbol. "Waru. Bad person, bad thing. What the– Perhaps I should call Chani and ask her what happened."

She looked at the red numbers of her clock. They read 11:02. Thane probably wasn't home yet, she'd rushed off somewhere after dinner, and Chani was an early sleeper. "Well, okay, I'll call Chani in the morning."

Putting down the dictionary, she finished changing and settled down with A Little Princess, Dulce de Leche ice cream, and one of her Inuyasha CD's.

"Much better," she remarked to the book. "I'm probably just seeing things."

Finally, after an hour of reading she got up and put the ice cream away, brushed her teeth and fell into bed. She was asleep almost instantly.

"I have found a new warrior to play with," came a soft voice from the darkness. "Be prepared little willow. Be prepared."

Takeo rolled over and the voice dissipated as she slipped into deep sleep.

* * *

Sometime during the dark hours of the night Chani got up. Her left eye was hurting and she walked into the bathroom to see what was irritating her. She stared at herself in the mirror tracing an invisible line from her forehead down across her eye and over her nose to her right cheek. 

_Lightning flashed and Hikou stepped back in fear. The bank gave way under him and she lunged for his hand, dropping the knife in the process._

"_Help me Houjun!" the dark-haired man cried. She was so intent on trying to save her friend that she didn't notice the log._

Searing pain lanced through Chani's left eye and she crashed into the sink on her way to the floor. She screamed and clutched at her face as Thane came rushing into the room.

"Chani, what's wrong!" demanded Thane.

The red head stopped dead seeing blood leaking from under her roommate's hands. Chani curled into a fetal position and her whole body shook. Thane knelt at her side and placed a hand on Chani's shoulder. The blonde stilled and then she raised her head. Thane steeled herself to see a bloody mess, but the older girl's face was clean. Her deep brown eyes held only a trace of remembered pain.

"What's up? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" asked Chani.

Thane stared at her in amazement. "You don't remember what just happened?"

Chani shook her head. "I felt dizzy and then things went black. Did I faint?"

"You screamed and I thought I saw blood on your face and hands," said Thane. Chani looked at the worried face of her friend and she smiled.

"I'm alright, really I am. I just need to lie down for a while."

Thane stood up and helped Chani to her feet, and guided her back to bed.

"Forget about any of your plans for tomorrow," said Thane. "We're going on a trip. I have some friends who've been bugging me to go with them for a while, and I think you need a break."

Chani nodded. A break sounded good to her. Maybe it would give her time to sort out all the memories running though her head.

* * *

Toshi sat alone in the Great Hall. He stared at a floating black orb above his hand. He had been playing with the dreams of the warrior Nuriko, but was growing steadily angry at the lateness of his shadow-man. 

"He should have been back by now," the demon lord muttered. His hand closed into a fist and the orb winked out. "How hard can it be to kill one mortal?" He leaned back on the throne and steepled his fingers in front of his face.

One of the shadows on the floor began to move and write as if in great pain. As Toshi watched the shadow tried to take the shape of a man, but failed and remained a hovering amoeba of black.

_I have failed my master_, came the silent voice.

"What do you mean failed?" Toshi said in a quiet voice.

_The warrior known as Chichiri is not dead... _the voice grew faint as the shadow's consciousness faded.

_...Master...forgive...me... _

And then the ghostly form sank to the floor, a shadow once again.

Toshi stood and blasted two pillars away with black orbs.

"No! This cannot be!" he raged to the empty Great Hall. "I planned everything perfectly! I have waited so long for this moment! I will conquer this time, do you hear me Suzaku!" He shook his fist at the ceiling. Turning to his right he called to his servant.

"Yukio, come forward!"

A shadow parted and Yukio stepped forward, his blue cloak floating behind him. He knelt on one knee and placed his right fist over his chest.

"You have summoned me, my master?" he asked.

Toshi paced up and down in front of his servant.

"My shadow-men are apparently too inept at this moment to handle the Suzaku Shichiseishi. So Yukio I give this charge to you, kill Chichiri the Sorcerer. If there are any other Suzaku Seishi around him, then kill them as well!"

Yukio stood and bowed. He turned from his master and a cloud formed at his feet. He rose in the air and went through a window on his way to do his master's bidding.

"Yukio had better succeed," Toshi muttered as he returned to his throne. Leaning to one side he again created a black orb that hovered just above his hand. Through it he could feel the life force of the warrior Chichiri. He closed his hand around the orb, crushing it and grinding obsidian shards into his palm.

"Chichiri will die," the demon lord murmured, watching crimson drops stain the arm of his throne. "And when that threat is gone I will destroy the followers of Suzaku and make sure they cease to exist on any plane."

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Just a note on Ani. She has changed her name to Eva Star. So if you couldn't find her by looking up Ani Wolfstar, that's why. Just thought y'all'd like to know.

**Chichiri's Wanderer**: (faceplant) You just gave away the characters. Iz otay tho. I won't do bodily damage... this time... (evil grin)

**KittyLynne**: I kinda deleted the story from the 'Wolfe Wolfstar' account, hence the reposting. So if I were you, I'd mark this one as favorite. Plus, this one is updated, with new content. (does a happy updated author dance)

Uptade 3-9-05  
Thanks to **Roku Kyu** who helped make the end of this chaptera little less comical and hopefully a little more realistic/freaky. Mwahahahahaha!


	4. 3 On The Road

**On The Road**

Thane got Chani up early the next morning and packed a few clothes. They had a small breakfast and left the dorm just as the sun was rising. Thane's friends, Tod and Vance, showed up a few minutes later and they were off. Thane talked and joked with her friends while Chani feigned sleep in the back seat. She tried to sort through the strange memories floating around her head.

A man with red hair and fangs was most prominent in her mind followed by a man with long chestnut colored hair who looked suspiciously like Alan. Another figure stood out, a man with violet hair and a beauty mark.

"Nuriko?" Chani whispered. She sucked in a breath as a sudden memory hit her.

_The wind was bitter cold on the mountain top, but not as cold as the fear that gripped his heart. One of their number had been severely wounded and he didn't know if he would get there in time._

Hold on, _he thought_. We're coming.

_He plunged on through the snow with Mitsukake and Chiriko at his side. Tasuki had outpaced them even in the snow and the red-haired man didn't show any signs of slowing down. He crested a rise and nearly ran over Tasuki._

"_What–" he started to say, but stopped as he took in the scene before him. Nuriko lay in the snow surrounded by a red puddle. Tamahome was near the fallen warrior and Miaka was a few feet away. He removed his mask and began a sutra for Nuriko's soul as Tasuki rounded on Mitsukake to heal the dead warrior. _

The scene changed to a pond surrounded by a beautiful garden.

_He/she sat on a rock by a large pond with a fishing rod in his/her hands. Miaka sat down next to him/her and asked about his/her scar. He/she found himself/herself disclosing things that he/she hadn't thought of in years._

"_Your friend still loves you," he/she said at last. "That's why you'll be able to save her in the end."_

"_Thank you Chichiri," the priestess said ._

The scene changed again and this time it was less inviting.

_She appeared at the ruins of the Mt. Reikaku bandit stronghold. After that last battle where Tasuki had been wounded they'd said goodbye to the army they had been traveling with. Tasuki had said he'd wanted to go home to die, so here they were. She set up a tent near the ruins and tried to make her friend as comfortable as she could. _

"_Oy, Chiri, why did you stay with me? You should have stayed with our army and helped them win."_

"_I couldn't leave you alone at a time like this Tasuki. You'd have done the same for me." The red-head nodded and lay back on the futon, falling into a restless slumber. _

_She made some soup and when her friend awakened again she helped him eat. She dressed the wound and did everything in her power to try and bring her friend back to health, but it was clear that Tasuki wouldn't be among the living for much longer. Finally after five long days of suffering, Tasuki passed away._

Chani sat up with a jolt and cried out. Everyone in the car jumped in surprise and Vance pulled over.

"Chani, what's wrong?" asked Thane in a worried voice. Chani was shaking as memories continued to run rampant through her mind. She struggled to focus on the here and now.

"I, just had a bad dream," she managed to say. Thane gave her friend a skeptical look, but the other two obviously believed her. Vance started the car again and pulled back onto the road.

Chani didn't close her eyes again for a long time. She fought to keep her identity against the rising flood of memories. After reliving the memory of Chiriko's death and various battles with Tenkou, Chani finally decided that she was going insane.

_I must be insane_, she thought,_ to think that I was a Suzaku Seishi in another life_.

The phrase 'Suzaku Seishi', continued to roll around in her head, and with each revolution it became more familiar.

_Was I a warrior of Suzaku_? she wondered. Then feeling a sort of desperation come over her she thought, _I am a Suzaku warrior_.

The thought felt right somehow.

_I am a Suzaku warrior. I am Chichiri of the Suzaku Shichiseishi._

With that thought the memories quieted and she knew it was true. She looked at Thane and had a nasty jolt.

_Tasuki!_

She started to reach out to her friend to get her attention, but then checked herself.

_How can I tell her that she's Suzaku warrior? Would she believe me? To her it's only a TV show, and an animated one at that. And where are the other warriors?_

A picture of Alan and Takeo flashed into her mind and she nearly started laughing.

_Hotohori and Nuriko. Of course. I should have guessed. Suzaku is kind. Now they can be together. _

Chani dozed and tried to digest this new information until they pulled off into a gas station. Vance parked the car at a pump and got out.

"Last call for a pit stop," he said with a smile before shutting the door.

Thane, Chani, and Tod climbed out of the car and stretched cramped muscles.

"Come on Chani," said Thane. "We'll be right back," the red-head called to the boys as she steered Chani toward the bathrooms.

Chani picked up her pace and reached the restroom first. She didn't want to face the battery of questions that she knew Thane was going to throw at her. She hurriedly did her business and washed her hands. Thane didn't say anything as she left the restroom, just gave her a look as they traded places. Thane came out a minuet later and the girls walked back to the car in silence.

The boys were nowhere to be seen and Chani guessed that they were in the store buying goodies. After waiting a few minutes for the boys to arrive, Chani decided to go into the store after them. She opened the car door and leaned in to get her purse. She was hit from behind just as she heard Thane cry out. Chani sprawled across the luggage in the back of the car and lay there stunned. A rough hand grabbed the back of her shirt and hauled her out of the car. Chani grabbed at the bags on the seat trying to arrest her backward momentum, but only managed to pull a few of the bags out with her. She landed hard on the pavement and her head hit the ground with a crack. A smiling face filled her vision and Chani recognized Vance. In place of his eyes, however, were black pits with a dull red glow in the depths.

"So this is the mighty Suzaku warrior Chichiri huh? Pathetic."

Chani felt demon energy build up in the boy, but she couldn't clear her head enough to formulate a counter spell.

"Hey! You there! What's going on?"

Vance looked at someone out of Chani's line of sight and then looked back at her.

"Next time, there won't be anyone to save you."

With that Vance ran to the car, followed closely by Tod. They slammed the doors shut and drove off accompanied by the squealing of tires. Chani lay still trying to assess the damage to her head when the store manager appeared in her line of sight.

"You okay?" asked the concerned man.

Having decided that there was no major damage done, Chani nodded. The manager helped Chani sit up and steadied her as she wavered.

"I'll live," she managed to say.

Chani remembered Thane's shout and she looked for her friend. She had to fight off a bout of nausea when she moved her head too fast, but she located Thane's feet sticking out from a bunch of bushes.

"Thane," Chani called as she tried to move to her friend's side.

The store keeper held her still.

"You sit here and rest. I'll go get her."

Chani nodded wishing that Mitsukake were there. _He'd have me feeling better in a jiffy_, she thought

Thane, despite a blackening eye and a slight wobble to her gait, refused the manager's help to walk. The manager finally shrugged and helped Chani to her feet. They all walked back into the store where the manager pulled out some ice and drinks for them.

"My name's Chip," said the manager.

"Thane, Chani," supplied Thane pointing to herself and her friend in turn.

A customer arrived then, stalling any further conversation.

"What do we do now?" asked Chani.

Thane sighed. "I have an uncle that lives near here. The trouble will be getting a hold of him. His job has him working crazy hours."

"Does he have an answering machine?" asked Chani.

Thane nodded. "Yeah, but that won't matter much. Last time I visited him I found messages a month old on that thing."

"Tell you what," said Chip, who had finished with the customer, "I'll let you hang around here till I close up at eleven. If you haven't gotten a hold of your uncle by then I'll drive you out to his place." He grinned sheepishly. "I was listening. Sorry."

"S'ok," said Thane with a shrug. "'Sides, it'd sure beat having to walk the miles out to his place."

Chani elbowed her friend in the ribs. "We don't even know him," she whispered to her friend.

Chip laughed. "Well I would just lend you my car, but then I'd have no way to get home."

Chani smiled and Thane laughed.

"Well I guess it'll be okay," said Chani.

Thane struck a karate pose. "And if you give us any trouble– kiya!" The red-head threw a kick-punch combination.

Chip laughed again. "You guys are great. This place hasn't seen so much action since, well, since I don't know when. Grab some snacks and I'll give you a discount since you'll be here most of the day."

"That reminds me," said Chani as she headed for the door.

She walked to where she and Thane had been ambushed by the possessed boys and picked up the bags that had fallen out of the car. Thane came up behind her and started helping.

"I don't know what fell out, but we might find our stuff which means we'll have clothes and money."

* * *

The tick on the clock was the only thing that proved time was passing. The endless day stretched on and on. Luckily Chani's and Thane's backpacks had been two of the bags that Chani had dragged out, and Chani sat busily doing her homework. 

Thane sat outside and watched the world pass her by. A fly buzzed lazily around her head and she waited until it came close. Then she struck and a dead fly landed on the ground. Chani came out of the door and stretched her arms upward and yawned.

"Ya done? Or just takin' a breather," Thane asked.

"I'm finished with math, no da," Chani said, adding the 'no da' before she could stop herself.

Thane turned her head to look at Chani. The blonde's face was scratched from their attack earlier and Thane could feel her own eye throbbing.

"You've been sayin' that a lot lately," Thane said. "You must really have somethin' for that monk on the show."

_I _am_ that monk on the show_, Chani thought and a crooked smile appeared on her face.

"Well, I just like him the best. That's all."

Thane shrugged. "Well, it makes no never-mind to me. Yer just strange."

"Hey! If I'm strange what does that make you?" Chani cried in a mock-hurt voice.

"I'm as normal as they come," Thane grinned, and spun out of the way as the blonde threw a half hearted blow her way.

"Yeah, that's the biggest lie I've ever heard," the blonde challenged.

"Oh? D'ya wanna make somethin' of it?" the red-head teased.

Thane lashed out with a punch and Chani drew on her fighting experiences from her past as a Suzaku Warrior. Somehow Thane still managed to keep one step ahead of her, even landing blows.

_She almost has her powers from her life as Tasuki, but not the memories,_ Chani thought with a shock. _I didn't have mine until right before I was hit with my memories. Does that mean that Thane's about to remember?_

The girl felt hope welling in her heart, as the lonely ache she had felt since the night before seemed to ebb. The hope was short lived though as the loneliness began to throb anew.

_I want Tasuki to remember. I want my best friend back, Suzaku!_

A light seemed to burst in her head and she opened her eyes to find herself inside the store, on a couch in the back room. Chip and Thane leaned over her, and Chani noticed a sheepish look in Thane's eyes.

"What happened?" the blonde asked. She tried to sit up but Chip pushed her back. Chani was glad to go down again to avoid the star bursts in her vision.

"Your friend packs a mean kick," Chip said.

"She was supposed to dodge it. I threw it slow so she could catch it," Thane defended herself.

Chani started to laugh, and couldn't stop even when her vision went white with the pain.

"I'll be ok, na no da," she gasped.

Chip handed an ice pack to Thane and went to the counter to help a customer, muttering something about 'nutty girls' all the way. Thane looked at her friend with worried eyes, well, eye, since the other one was swollen shut.

"Damn it," she muttered. "Why didn't you dodge my kick?"

"I got distracted," Chani said.

"You never get distracted," Thane said fervently. "You're always there, doing what's right and making sure everyone around you does too. We depend on you, and you never get distracted. You're always there. What's going on Chani? I'm really worried about you."

"Wow, that's a little much to give someone that probably has a concussion isn't it?" Chani teased, referring to herself. She felt sure that Tamahome, or Taka at the time, had said something similar to her after... after their first encounter with the demon Hikou.

"Well, you're coherent, so I guess that blow didn't scramble your brain." Thane stood and gave her friend a long measuring stare. Chani was the first to look away.

"I'm going to call my uncle... again."

Chani could the hear the disappointment in her friend's voice as the red-head walked away.

_What is wrong with me?_ the blonde girl wondered. _How can I be Houjun, Chichiri-the-man, and still be me at the same time? Isn't that asking a bit much from me Suzaku?

* * *

_

Author's Notes:

**Amaya-chan**: Thanks for catching that little mistake for me. If you (my readers) don't tell me what I'm missing I won't be able to fix it. Thanks again!


	5. 4 Finding Allies

**Finding Allies**

"What happened to you?" Max, Thane's uncle, asked.

Chani and Thane stood at the door of the gas station with their gear. They had finally gottenahold of Thane's uncle. As they stood there though, they shared a look. They hadn't thought of a story to tell him.

"Let's just say we were dumped here by a couple of morons and I've come to pick up my bike," Thane said. Chani noticed that her friend avoided the issue a bit.

"Well, we'll see what your aunt has to say. She's going to have conniptions you know."

"Yeah, I know. But it's the truth Uncle Max. I swear," Thane insisted.

Her uncle shrugged and started towards his truck. "I don't care. I'm just glad you can take care of yourself. I don't like the idea that women that have to depend on someone else all the time."

Max was definitely among the new kind of men, Chani noted. He would have made a fine warrior or a soldier.

_"In simple terms, what you just saw was teleportation. And that's the speciality of Tokaki, of the Byakko Shichiseishi." The now young man grinned mockingly at the demon-possessed Chiriko. _

_Everyone started dumbly as Tasuki cried out, "That old guy is this young man?"_

Chani stared at Max. His hair was shorter, if not by much, and he only had one small hoop earring, but he could have been Tokaki's twin brother.

"Are you coming?" he asked.

"Yes, uh, sir. Yes I'm coming." She dumped her stuff in the back and hopped in next to Thane. Max got in the other side and started the truck.

"You don't have to 'sir' me," he said. "Just call me Uncle Max, or Max, if you feel more comfortable. I'm not a veteran or anything."

_Well not in this life, at least_, Chani thought with a small grin.

* * *

"Oh my goodness, you two," Aunt Sara cried. "What on God's green earth have you gotten yourself into?" 

"It's nothing Aunt Sara, we just got dumped by a couple of sore losers. If you think we look bad, you should see them," Thane teased.

"I am not amused," Sara growled. She was an attractive woman, mid-thirties, and, like her husband, her hair was white.

"Does the name Subaru mean anything to you?" asked Chani as she snagged another cookie from the plate in front of her.

Sara turned and fixed Chani with a sharp eye. "Well I think Max and I owned a Subaru once, but otherwise–" she shrugged her shoulders. "Why do you ask dear?"

"I was just wondering. You remind me of someone." Chani smiled like a kid and took a big bite of her cookie.

Thane and Chani polished off the plate of cookies and Max said goodnight to them as he left for his night job.

"Well that should hold you two until morning," Sara said. "I'll show you to our little guest suite downstairs. It's got a small living room, bathroom and a bedroom. It only has one bed though. It that alright?"

After assuring her that it was fine, Sara led the two girls to the downstairs room.

"Well if that's all you need, I think I'll go to bed now." Sara hugged Thane and then went back upstairs. The two girls quickly changed and minutes after crawling into the bed they were fast asleep.

* * *

Chani stared around the room that she was sharing with Thane. The other girl's things were strewn everywhere. They had decided to spend the day with Thane's aunt and uncle instead of going right back to school, so that Thane could make a few repairs to her motorcycle. Thane and Max has spent a good portion of the day working on the bike before Max had headed off to work again. Chani had spent time with Sara, helping in the kitchen and around the house. Now only Thane and Chani were at the house, Sara having left to run some errands. 

_He hasn't changed_, thought Chani. Then she smacked herself._ Tasuki is a she, Tasuki is a she, _she chanted to herself_. I _so _need to get these memories sorted out._

Chani pulled a blanket off the bed and walked to the livingroom. There she laid it out on the floor and, seating herself in lotus position, tried to get into a meditative state. Her mind would not quiet, though, and after a few minutes she stood up in frustration. Almost without thinking she moved into the resting stance for qi-gong and did a few exercises. Then she moved into her favorite tai-chi form. As her body flowed through the familiar form, and her mind became calm, flashes of memories started to flow.

_He raced into the house with the comb in his hand. He's seen it at a stall in the market and knew it'd suit her perfectly. He kicked his shoes off as he entered the house and ran to the living room. He was about to call out for her when he heard voices. Hers and Hikou's. Her voice was cut off abruptly and he opened the shoji door. She was in Hikou's arms and they were kissing. The comb fell from his hand and they turned guiltily to look at him._

"_Houjun, it's not–" Hikou started to say._

_He shook his head and ran from the room._

"_Houjun!" he heard her call after him._

Chani became aware of her surroundings quite suddenly. She was standing in Golden Phoenix Stands on Left Leg, and by the fatigue she felt in her leg she'd been in that position for a while. She moved into Strike Opponent's Ears with Both Fists and then into Golden Phoenix Stands on Right Leg. As she moved into Snake Creeps Down memories took her away again.

"_Why Hikou? Why!" he shouted._

_The other man just stood staring at his friend, silent. Enraged he darted forward, swinging his knife. It bit into Hikou's cheek and forced him back toward the edge of the river bank._

"_Houjun, I–" the dark haired man started to say, but the rain soaked bank beneath him gave way. _

_Immediately he dropped the knife and lunged for his friend's hand, all anger forgotten._

Chani found herself on her back staring up at the ceiling. She knew what was coming next and tried to fight it.

_I'm not Houjun_, she thought to herself.

The memories rolled on unheeding.

"_Help me Houjun!" cried Hikou._

_He held fast to his friend's hand and strained upward. He gained a few inches and tried to move to get better leverage. Just then the log struck. Searing pain exploded in his left eye and along his face. He screamed and clutched at his face as he rolled back onto solid ground._

"_Houjun!" came a piercing scream from the river._

_He pushed himself to his hands and knees and forced his good eye to focus through the haze of pain and tears. He caught a brief glimpse of Hikou as the river swept him away, then with an anguished cry, he collapsed onto the ground and lapsed into unconsciousness._

Chichiri lay on the floor of the livingroom. Her body was limp and tremors ran through her slim frame. She was still staring blankly at nothing when Thane found her.

"Chani!" yelled the red-head as she rushed to her friend's side.

Thane reached out to shake her friend and then pulled her hand back, afraid that if she touched the other girl she might inadvertently cause more damage. Tears started in her eyes and she tried to blink them away.

"Chani stay with me," she said.

Thane stroked her friend's cheek and then took her limp hand.

"Stay with me," she pleaded.

Tears spilled down the red-head's cheeks and she stood to call the paramedics. Chichiri gasped and her body went ridged.

"Don't leave me,"she whispered softly.

Thane returned to her side and knelt.

"What did you say?"

Chichiri blinked her eyes and then shut them tightly.

"Tasuki! Don't leave me!"

Chichiri's body trembled and she curled up into a ball. Thane heard a whispered "don't leave me," over and over as she placed her hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"Chani, I'm here. I won't leave."

Chichiri looked up and saw Thane kneeling near her. She sat up hurriedly and hugged her friend.

"I thought you'd left me," said the blonde girl quietly.

"I was just out working on my bike. I came in and saw you lying on the floor. I thought you'd had a stroke or something."

Chichiri sat back on the blanket and tried to pull herself together. Something was different now. She had all of Chichiri-the-man's memories, but they weren't overwhelming now. They were in the back of her mind like a reminder of things gone before, but they were just that. A reminder. She was sure of her identity as Chichiri-the-woman now and the memories would now serve instead of hinder her.

Chichiri became aware that Thane was staring at her. She met her friend's gaze and found worry there.

"I'm alright," said the blonde girl. "Really I am."

Thane nodded and kept staring.

"You don't remember me, do you?" said Chichiri.

Thane blinked and shook her head. "Sure I do. You're my best friend, Chani. We go to school together and share a dorm room."

Chichiri lay back down on the blanket, covering her eyes with an arm, and began laughing. Thane just stared at her with a bemused expression on her face.

"What's up with you Chani?" asked the flame-haired girl, exasperated.

"It's one of those moments when you either have to laugh or cry. I'd rather laugh."

Thane tried to get more out of her room mate, but there was nothing doing. After a few minutes Chichiri sat up and pulled her knees up to her chest, resting her head on them. The laughter had left her feeling tired and her mind wandered.

_What happens if she never remember who she was_, Chichiri wondered.

She raised her head a little and looked at Thane through the curtain of her bangs.

_What if Tasuki never remembers me? We were such good friends and I promised him... her, that I'd find her. Now I have and she doesn't remember me._

Chichiri stood up and walked to the bedroom.

"Tas, uh Thane?"

The other girl looked over to where Chichiri stood.

"Don't come in the bedroom for a while. I need to be alone. Knock if you really need to come in."

Thane nodded and went back to flipping channels. Chichiri entered the room and locked the door just in case. Tasuki'd had the annoying habit of walking in on her when she'd been doing magic in their other life and it had caused problems at times. Chichiri started digging though her luggage looking for candles and chalk then remembered that she hadn't been planning to do magic. After looking though drawers to see what Thane's uncle had stored there, Chichiri sat at the end of her bed in frustration. She pulled out her purse thinking of running to the store when a spell came into her mind. Without thinking she said the words and, with a nearly inaudible pop, a small pouch appeared by her side.

"That's handy," she muttered.

Chichiri picked up the pouch and inspected it. It was the old pouch she'd used in her other life to carry the candles, chalk, and incense for her more intricate spells, and it was full.

"Praise Suzaku," she said.

She lit a stick of incense and set about drawing a summoning circle on the floor, then set the candles in the right places. She sat in the center and concentrated her ki on calling Taiitsu-kun.

_Without the other warriors and the priestess I have no hope of calling Suzaku, but if I can just contact Taiitsu-kun, she may be able to help me_, Chichiri though as she concentrated.

The candles around Chichiri flared in a nonexistent breeze and the warrior shivered as a wave of power washed over her. Chichiri released her ki and opened her eyes. A small, ornate compact mirror was at her feet. She picked it up and flipped the top open. Her eyes nearly bugged out at what she saw.

"Taiitsu-kun?" asked the astonished warrior.

The face that looked out at her from the mirror was youthful and beautiful. Fathomless black eyes were set in a delicately boned face which was framed by long golden hair twisted into an intricate hairdo strung with ribbons and pearls.

"No," said the woman with a smile, "I am Taiitsu-ko. Taiitsu-kun's younger sister and Guardian of this realm."

"But I was trying to contact Taiitsu-kun."

"You would have expended too much energy and attracted the attention of your enemy. So I intervened." A frown creased the delicate brow. "But who are you? I recognized Suzaku energy, but you don't look familiar."

It was Chichiri's turn to smile. She cast a quick illusion spell and her appearance changed to that of a blue-haired man with fly-away bangs and a scar. The illusion lasted a few seconds and then faded. Taiitsu-ko nodded.

"I never met you in person, but my sister was always going on about her pupil. I wonder why you were born as a woman in this incarnation. Well, tell me why you were trying to contact my sister."

Chichiri explained about the attack on Takeo and the awakening of the memories within herself. She told Taiitsu-ko about Alan, Takeo, Thane and her suspicion that they were also Suzaku warriors reincarnated.

"I just don't know what to do," said Chichiri in conclusion. "Apparently we have a new enemy that needs celestial warriors to deal with him. The biggest problem is that only one out of seven celestial warriors remembers who she is and three warriors and the priestess are missing. If I could find the words I'd tell Tasuki..."

"No!" thundered Taiitsu-ko making Chichiri jump. Then in a quieter tone, "You must not tell Tasuki, nor any of the others."

"But–"

"Their confusion would be even greater than yours was if you told them. They must work it out for themselves just as you did."

Chichiri nodded reluctantly. She briefly mentioned their mishap at the gas station and their subsequent stranding at Max's house. Taiitsu-ko said that she'd arrange for them to get back to the college campus as soon as she could. Chichiri thanked the Guardian and ended the conversation. She tucked the mirror into her pocket and carefully erased the evidence of her magic and then stood, stretching her muscles. She opened the door and walked into the living room where Thane had fallen asleep with the TV on. She smiled and gently touched her friend's shoulder.

"Thane, I'm done. You can go to bed now."

"'Bout bloody time," mumbled the sleepy red-head. She shuffled into their room and shut the door.

Chichiri felt no immediate desire to sleep and so she turned off the television and sat on the couch to think. She thought about the other warriors. She knew where Hotohori and Nuriko were, but that left Mitsukake, Chiriko, and Tamahome. Not to mention Miaka. How was she supposed to find them? And if she did find them, then what? Taiitsu-ko had said not to tell them about their past lives. They had to figure it out themselves. Feeling a little chill, Chichiri pulled a blanket over herself and lay down on the couch. She didn't even notice when she fell asleep.

* * *

In the wee hours of the morning Chichiri was awakened by low voices in the kitchen upstairs. At first she thought it was Thane's uncle come home, but then her growing magical sense picked up demonic energy radiating from the kitchen. She rolled over keeping her breathing even, feigning sleep, and listened. The voices had gone silent, but soft footsteps were moving about the house, then they came down the stairs and entered the room where she was. Chichiri fought the urge to shiver as someone stopped at the couch and stared at her. After what seemed like forever the person next to her moved away. 

"M'lord, I found one," said a deep voice in quiet tones. If Chichiri had really been asleep she doubted that she'd have heard that voice at all.

"The mage?" said an equally soft voice, a light tenor.

"She's asleep," said the first voice.

"She? Never mind. I'll go find the other one. You take care of the mage."

Chichiri didn't dare wait any longer to act. She threw up a barrier around Thane's room and pulled Taiitsu-ko's mirror from her pocket. She barely had time to activate the mirror and say Taiitsu-ko's name before the owner of the first voice yanked her off the couch. He slapped the mirror from her hands and it shattered against the wall. Chichiri prayed that Taiitsu-ko had received the message or she and Thane were in big trouble. She might have regained all her memories, and the powers that came with the memories, but that didn't give her the experience she needed to use them effectively.

The man came at her with a black knife. Chichiri ducked and dodged and even managed to land a couple of punches. She was distracted, though, by the man attacking her magical barrier. She attempted to reinforce her spell and totally failed to block her attacker's next slash. A line of fire followed by numbing cold traced a path down Chichiri's cheek. She put her hand to her face and pulled it away bloody.

_Great_, she thought. _I've traded one scar for another. At least this one didn't take my eye._

Chichiri launched a low power spell, cursing her lack of magical experience, that momentarily stunned her attacker giving her time to face her other assailant. In the darkness the only thing that Chichiri could see clearly was the long white waterfall of the man's hair.

"You'll never get Tasuki as long as I'm alive," said the blonde heatedly.

"I realize that," said the white-haired man without turning. "That's why you won't be alive for long."

Chichiri gasped as searing pain followed by that mind-numbing cold lanced through her back and then her side. She collapsed to the floor with a small mewl of pain. The first man came into her line of sight and knelt at her side. His large hands went round her neck and started squeezing.

"I always did like the personal touch," he said.

As Chichiri's vision greyed and then started going black she fought to keep her barrier in place.

_I won't lose Tasuki again,_ she kept thinking._ She'll be able to find the others and get rid of this guy. I won't lose Tasuki, I won't lose Tasuki, _she kept repeating to herself as her world went black.

* * *

She floated on a warm sea. There was no sense of time and very little sense of self. Vague images came to her: a cruel faced man with black daggers, another man with a dark aura and long white hair, and dominating everything, a huge red bird. The girl felt love and power radiating from the bird and she basked in it. Then all was dark again. 

Minutes, days, or lifetimes later she was aware of self again. She thought she should be in pain, but only warmth held her. More images clamored for her attention. She remembered a fight, but she couldn't recall how it had ended.

_I must have passed out_, a small part of her thought. She remembered trying to protect someone. A face floated in front of her. It was neither male nor female, but both. Features stood out to her. Flame red hair. Amber eyes. A fanged grin. And a name came to her.

"Tasuki?" she mumbled.

The face became distinctly feminine and a pang of worry shot through her.

"Thane!" cried Chichiri as she sat up.

The sound of several young voices giggling brought Chichiri back to full awareness of her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that the room was full of Nyan Nyans. The second thing she noticed was the she was clad only in her underwear. The Nyan Nyans giggled again as she pulled her knees up to her chest in an attempt to preserve modesty. A part of her mind wondered why she even bothered, seeing as the Nyan Nyans had seen her in even less before. Two of the teal-haired sprites came forward and draped a blanket around her shoulders and she smiled at them appreciatively.

"You'll have to forgive them," said Taiitsu-ko, coming up behind the main body of giggling sprites. "It's been a while since they've had a patient."

The Guardian wore a simple dress and her long golden hair was falling free down her back. If Chichiri hadn't sensed the other woman's incredible ki, she would have thought the Guardian another ordinary woman.

"Where are my clothes?" Chichiri asked.

A Nyan Nyan came forward with a neatly folded bundle of clothing.

"All fixed," said the Nyan Nyan with obvious satisfaction.

Chichiri threw off the blanket and pulled on her pants and shirt. Then she turned and looked at the room where Thane was. The door was closed and a familiar worry welled up in her. Taiitsu-ko came up behind the blonde warrior and placed a slender hand on her shoulder.

"Your friend is alright," she said gently.

Chichiri nodded and walked to the door. She had to see for herself. Quietly she opened the door and peered in. Thane was sprawled out on the bed as if she owned the whole thing. Her chest rose and fell in a gentle rhythm and Chichiri smiled and backed away leaving the door ajar. She sighed in relief and wiped at the tears that were falling from her eyes.

_I didn't fail Tasuki this time_, she thought. _I was able to save her_.

"Your barrier stayed in place even after you'd lost consciousness," said Taiitsu-ko.

Chichiri nodded thoughtfully. Nyan Nyan giggling made her suddenly aware that she was the object of much scrutiny.

"What?" she demanded of the gathered sprites.

"Chichiri-sama looks different," said one Nyan Nyan with a mock-serious expression.

Another Nyan Nyan took hold of Chichiri's long braid and wiggled it around while saying, "Chichiri-sama's hair is longer, and a different color."

"Chichiri-sama is shorter than we remember," said a pair of Nyan Nyans floating near her head.

Another bobbed at eye-level with Chichiri and studied her intently before pronouncing, "Chichiri-sama's scar is gone."

Chichiri couldn't help but tease them back. "I'll bet none of you noticed that I'm now a girl did you?"

"Chichiri-kun is now Chichiri-chan," cried all the Nyan Nyans in mock horror. Then they broke into peals of young girl laughter.

There was the sound of a soft object hitting the floor and a pillow cartwheeled half-heartedly through the door to Thane's room. Chichiri looked up just in time to reflexively block the next pillow that came sailing at her.

"Chani will you shut that thing up? It's too bloody early for all that racket," called a sleep muddled voice.

Chichiri had to think a moment before she realized that Thane thought she had the TV on. She was about to ask the Nyan Nyans to be more quiet when she noticed that there wasn't a sprite left in sight.

"I sent them back home," said Taiitsu-ko. "They were getting too noisy."

Thane came walking out of her room then, mumbling about noisy TV shows and a girl needing her beauty sleep. She stopped short as she saw Taiitsu-ko.

"Who'er you?" asked the sleepy red-head.

Chichiri's brain quit working about that moment. Even with the Nyan Nyan's healing, the fight and huge use of ki had left her drained. Luckily Taiitsu-ko came to the rescue.

"I'm a librarian at your school," said the Guardian. She walked toward Thane and extended her hand. "Vanessa Mayfair."

"Thane Rostrevor," said Thane uncertainly as she shook the older woman's hand. She looked to where Chichiri stood. "Chani, what'd you call the librarian for? And so early too."

Again Taiitsu-ko answered. "She was working on a project that was of special interest to me so I gave her my number in case she needed any help."

Chichiri almost laughed. That was about as close to the truth as one could get without actually telling the truth. Thane took another moment to scrutinize Taiitsu-ko and then nodded. She turned to Chichiri.

"I was gonna tell you that I finished my bike last night. We could have just ridden it back to school," she grinned showing fang. "But I guess it's kinda moot now."

Chichiri nodded. "You can still bring it back with you. I'll ride with Vanessa," she nearly choked on Taiitsu-ko's alias, "and you can ride your bike."

"S'a good idea," said the red-head stifling another yawn. "I'm goin' back to bed. In a couple of hours we can see if Aunt Sara will fix us a quick meal and then we can hit the road."

Chichiri nodded and watched Thane return to her room, shutting the door behind her. Then turned to Taiitsu-ko.

"How are we going to explain to Max that you're in his house?" asked Chichiri.

"Oh, I don't think you need to worry about that," came a voice from the stairway.

Chichiri turned to see Max leaning against the wall.

"That was quite the barrier you cast- Chichiri."

"Tokaki?" the blonde queried.

Uncle Max bowed. "None other. Subaru wasn't sure what you were up to when you asked her about the name, but I explained things to her. I realized at the gas station that you had recognized me, but Thane seems to only see me as her uncle."

Chichiri nodded and sighed. Max patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry. She'll remember in time."

Chichiri nodded again. "I'm going to shower before we leave."

Max nodded and went upstairs. Taiitsu-ko sat on the couch.

"I'm ready when you two are."

Three hours and one of Aunt Sara's fabulous breakfasts later they were on the road.


	6. 5 Disturbing Visions

**Disturbing Visions**

The road was mostly empty ahead of them. Chichiri and Taiitsu-ko rode in the convertible that the Guardian had conjured.

"Why are they after me?" the Suzaku warrior asked. "I mean, I'm the only one who can defend myself, why wouldn't they go after the others first?"

"I'm not sure," Taiitsu-ko answered. "There is the fact that since you are the only one who can defend yourself you could find, recognize, and protect the others, which would be bad for the other side."

Chichiri pondered that for a moment then hmmed in agreement.

"Yeah, I can see it that way. I guess I already found four of us, myself included."

"Am I correct in saying that the one behind us is also a warrior?" the Guardian asked. "Although, from what my sister told me, none of the warriors were female."

"Yeah, that's Tasuki. I owe my life to that valiant soul, male or female," the blonde girl answered. "As to why we were reborn as women, I couldn't say."

She looked back to see her best friend on her customized bike speeding along behind them.

* * *

Thane wasn't really thinking about anything. She loved the feel of the wind, the speed, and the vibration of the motor under her. The helmet she wore was one her mother had raced with. The mother that had given her daughter a love of motorcycles, and a love of danger. It was black with a red bird painted on it, the feathers of the wings touching in the back. As Thane rode she relaxed. She was one with the bike, one with everything around her, and her mind began to drift. 

_Suddenly it was twilight. As if she were a bird, Thane saw a man and a woman sitting on the front lawn of an apartment complex. From the way they were looking at each other it was obvious that they were in love. A sudden shiver went through Thane and, following the feeling of evil, Thane's new eyes turned to see a woman in purple perched atop a telephone pole. Her lips moved as if in laughter, but Thane heard nothing._

Thane blinked and found herself once more seated on her bike. She shook her head and tried to make sense of what had just happened.

* * *

Chichiri sat up suddenly in the front seat of Taiitsu-ko's car. 

"What's wrong?" asked the Guardian.

Chichiri looked over her shoulder to where Thane rode behind them.

"Something's wrong with Tasuki," said the blonde warrior.

* * *

Thane blinked to clear her vision as she found herself once again in twilight. 

_The woman dressed in purple was fighting an unfair battle with the couple. Thane tried to call out to the couple to offer assistance, but no sound came from her throat. She watched helplessly as the woman in purple easily overpowered them and vanished in a flash of light which seemed to envelop the world._

Thane jerked herself out of the horrible vision, and found herself fighting to stay upright on her bike. Her abrupt reentry into reality caused her to involuntarily jerk on her handlebars making the bike swerve. In her fight to keep control Thane squeezed the brakes too hard. The bike came to a screeching halt and Thane went sailing over the handlebars, landing hard on her left side and rolling across the asphalt. She came to a spreadeagle stop on the shoulder of the road with her face to a brilliantly azure sky. The sound of squealing tires registered through the haze in Thane's mind and two faces appeared in her vision.

"Thane, you okay?" asked the older blonde woman.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" asked the other woman as she held up three fingers.

"Three, like everyone else does," Thane answered raspily. "My bike... where is it?"

"It's scratched, but fine," said the younger blonde.

"Tama... they've been captured. She stole Miaka," Thane mumbled as she tried to sit up. The effort too much and the red-head went limp as the world went dark.

"You sure she doesn't remember?" Taiitsu-ko asked, turning to Chichiri.

"I'm positive. I even tested her to see if she had regained her memories before me and she just hadn't said anything."

"Well, that sure sounded like she knew what was going on."

Chichiri was confused. How had Thane remembered Tamahome and Miaka's names, but not Tasuki's memories? Where had that outburst come from?

The Guardian sighed. "Well, now that she's out, at least we don't have to get home the conventional way," and snapped her fingers.

* * *

Thane opened her eyes. She'd had the strangest dream, about riding on her bike and wiping out on the road. She never wiped out. Her eye hurt. Why would her eye hurt from just a dream. She reached up with a shaky hand to explore the puffy skin around her left eye. 

"What the–" she muttered.

"Hey! Sleeping Beauty is awake." Chani's voice came from just outside Thane's line of vision.

Holding her head, Thane sat up shakily and turned toward her best friend's voice.

"Who ya callin' Sleepin' Beauty?" she said grumpily. "I don't see no stinkin' prince."

"Well, at least you're back to normal," Chani teased. "How do you feel?"

"Particularly lousy, otherwise, I'm just fine Mother."

"Hey! What's with the 'mother' thing?"

Thane threw a pillow at her friend, who caught it and promptly chucked it back. Thane threw it again and they turned it into a pillow war, which left them dissolved into two heaps of giggles.

* * *

Taiitsu-ko watched the scene in her large viewing mirror with a small smile on her face. 

"Let them laugh while they can," she murmured to herself. "I fear for these new warriors, these bodies so unused to Suzaku's power. Suzaku be merciful to them, give them precious time they wouldn't have otherwise."

* * *

"I've got to go to class, but I don't think you should go," Chichiri said as she stuffed her books in her backpack. "You biffed it on your bike yesterday, and hit the asphalt rather hard." 

"Yeah, I can feel it. But I have to go to class, I can't fail again."

"Thane, don't be a moron, take a day off," Chichiri commanded.

"Maybe, you're right," the red-head assented as the room spun in her vision.

"I'll get your homework from your classes. How about we meet at the movie theater this

afternoon? Get our minds off... everything."

"Sure, as long as I get to choose the movie."

"I'm not so sure about that," the blonde retorted as she vanished out the doorway.

* * *

A few hours later as Chichiri walked towards the movie theater, she sensed a familiar presence. She couldn't quite place where she knew the aura from, but it was wholly evil. Glancing around she spotted a waterfall of white hair ahead. 

"It's him," she muttered suddenly remembering the white-haired man who had attacked her at Max's house. She looked around at the busy sidewalk.

_This is no place for a battle_, she thought. _Besides I'm not ready to take him on yet_.

She started across the street and attempted to suppress her ki in hopes that he wouldn't notice her. She was still a block or two away from the theater, and she hoped to make it there and get away with Thane before the white-haired man caused trouble.

* * *

Yukio smiled. 

_She doesn't even realize that she's following my shadow_, he thought.

He moved through the crowd as if it did not exist. He passed the blonde warrior and put himself in her path. He clenched his fist as he prepared to lower his spell.

"This time Chichiri, I will kill you," he whispered.

Then he let his spell vanish.

* * *

Chichiri made it to the other sidewalk and saw the white-haired man materialize in front of her. She didn't have a chance to check her momentum and so she ran into him. He grabbed her around her neck and lifted her off her feet. 

"Hello, Chichiri." The man's voice was a beautiful tenor, light and charming. "I have come to kill you."

Chichiri lashed out with a leg and caught the man in his stomach. He dropped her and she took a few steps backward. The man recovered quickly and she had to erect a hasty barrier against the ki blasts he sent at her. People around her scattered, screaming.

* * *

Thane was frustrated. Chani was late for the movie. 

"Great," the red-head muttered, "she asks me to meet her and then she's late."

Suddenly panicked screams pierced the air. Spinning on one heel, Thane turned towards the commotion.

"Channon!" the girl shouted. Thane could barely see the blonde four blocks away as a weird greenish-yellow light filled the air. _What the...?_ Thane thought as she ran toward her friend.

The world seemed to slow down as Thane sped through the crowd. Too quickly she arrived at the scene where an overly handsome man was attacking Chani with yellow-green balls of light. Slightly disoriented, Thane only saw the danger her friend was in as she charged to the rescue. She was dimly aware of Chani yelling something, but ignored her and took up a defensive position in front of her friend. The handsome man smiled cruelly.

"Another playmate? This could be fun."

"Who are you?" demanded Thane.

"I am Yukio, Right Hand of Toshi-sama, and Lord of the Air." The man's hands came together in front of his chest where a ball of light formed.

"Thane, get back," yelled Chani. "I can handle this."

Thane looked over her shoulder and gave her usually pacifist roommate a glare before turning back to the man. She turned in time to see the ball of light coming toward her and grunted as it hit her in the left shoulder. The impact threw her backwards and she landed hard on her side before rolling a few feet.

"Thane!" Chichiri cried. Another energy ball slammed into Chichiri knocking her in the opposite direction from Thane and into the wall. "That hurt, no da," she muttered as she slid to the ground, dazed.

Yukio advanced toward the blonde warrior with a murderous gleam in his eyes. His black boots made a crunching noise on the pavement in duet with the swish of his blue cloak. His blue Chinese style shirt was belted at the waist over black pants, which tucked into his boots. At his side was a sword in a black scabbard encrusted with red and blue jewels. Over both wrists he wore black leather bracers with silver studs that gleamed in the sunlight. He wore no other armor. Around his forehead was tied a black headband, the long ends mixing in with his white hair. Yukio stood above Chichiri's still form and shook his head.

"So this is the great Suzaku Seishi Chichiri? I'd have expected more of a fight from such a great sorcerer. Or should I say sorceress?" Yukio's hand began to glow as he readied another strike. "I'll finish you off now and the threat of Suzaku will be no more."

"Hey, buddy. You forgetting about me?" Thane stood and wiped a trickle of blood from her mouth. "You can't pick on Chichiri without going through me."

The man raised an elegant eyebrow.

"So you have remembered who you are Genrou?"

Thane blinked. Genrou? Why did that name sound so familiar? Her right forearm started tingling and she looked to see a Chinese character glowing there.

_What's going on_, thought Thane as memories started flashing though her mind.

_Tasuki dispatched his foe and looked around the battle field for Chichiri. _

That damn, monk's gotten himself lost again_, thought Tasuki. The bandit raised himself up in his stirrups and tried to call above the din of battle. He caught a flash of red and felt a huge build up of Suzaku energy just before a whole swath of the enemy's army was taken out by an ki blast. Tasuki caught sight of the monk as he collapsed to his knees. _

"_Chichiri!" he yelled as he spurred toward his friend. Tasuki rode to his fallen star-brother and jumped off his horse before it had even stopped. He knelt and lifted the monk from where he lay on the ground. _

"_Come on Chichiri. Then enemy is retreating, but we gotta get outta here." _

_The monk blinked dazedly and focused on the bandit. _

"_Used... too much... energy," he whispered. _

"_You damn well better have enough energy to walk outta here cause I sure as hell won't carry you." _

_Chichiri managed a smile. "Just let me sit here for a moment."_

_Tasuki nodded and took up a lookout position, on watch for any enemy warriors that got too close._

"_We're getting too old for this, no da," said the monk after a few moments. _

"_What are ya jabbering about? I just turned seventy-four, and I don't look a day over thirty-five."_

_Chichiri grinned again and rose to his feet. "I think we'd better get going."_

_Tasuki put an arm around his friend's waist and the monk hung an arm around the younger man's neck. They had only taken a few steps before Tasuki staggered and fell, dragging Chichiri with him. A bold archer from the enemy army had stayed behind to see what damage he could do. His arrow took Tasuki in the back through one of his lungs. Tasuki managed to sit up and flame the archer before collapsing back against Chichiri. _

"_I'm sorry Chiri," said the bandit through gritted teeth. "It looks like you'll be carrying me." _

_Chichiri took his prayer beads in hand and gathered his waning ki. _

"_We'll do this the easy way, no da," he said as they teleported to safety._

Thane's attention was brought back by a cry from Chichiri. Yukio had a death grip on the blonde's neck and had lifted her off her feet. Thane felt the anger rising in her and with it a sensation she hadn't felt before, but was somehow familiar. A red aura surrounded the red-head and she started toward Yukio.

"You hurt my friend," she said in a deadly quiet voice. "And for that..." her right arm stretched out as a metal fan appeared in her hand, "...I cannot forgive you. _Rekka Shinen_!"

A wave of fire tore through the air toward Yukio. A red aura surrounded Chichiri as the fire engulfed them both. The man dropped her and clutched at his face, screaming. Thane fell to her knees as the fire went out. She was happy to see that her friend was unhurt by her rash action. Wearily Thane climbed back to her feet.

"Don't think you've seen the last of me," cried Yukio. He raised his hand and let fly a parting shot at Thane.

The red-head doubled over as the energy blast hit her in the stomach. The tessen clattered to the ground as Thane collapsed. Chichiri made it to her hands and knees and slowly crawled to where her friend lay curled on the ground.

"Tasuki, are you okay? Tasuki?"

Chichiri cradled her friend's head in her lap and took stock of her surroundings. There was quite a crowd forming around them now that the fighting had stopped, but apparently no one had the courage to come forward yet and help the injured girls. Chichiri pulled her prayer beads out from inside her shirt and concentrated her ki.

"I hope we don't get fried, cause I only dimly recall how to do this without my kesa," she muttered before a red aura surrounded them. When the light cleared the girls were gone.

* * *

Tasuki was distantly aware of someone calling to her, but she couldn't seem to focus. Memories were running through her mind as her arm continued to tingle. She recalled her childhood with all her older brothers, yet he remembered having only sisters. He'd discovered his powers when he was young, and she was just learning at the age of twenty. 

"Tasuki, listen to my voice."

Someone was calling him. But she was a she not a he. Tasuki held his/her head and screamed in frustration as the memories threatened to overwhelm him/her. A sharp slap to his/her face gave him/her something to focus on and the memories retreated a little. Tasuki opened her eyes and looked into Chichiri's face.

"What's going on?" asked the red-head.

"Your memories coming back, no da," said Chichiri.

Tasuki seemed not the hear her friend's answer. She reached out to touch Chichiri's face where the scar had been.

"Chiri, what happened to your scar?"

Chichiri gritted her teeth wanting to tell her friend everything. She resorted to asking questions.

"Tasuki what do you remember?"

Tasuki's head lolled to the side and her eyes glazed again as memories took her away. Chichiri was worried. Tasuki wasn't coming out of the memories.

"Tasuki," the blonde girl cried, "focus on my voice. Tasuki!"

Chichiri shook her friend roughly and then slapped Tasuki again. The red-head's eyes cleared some.

"Chani?"

"Dammit," Chichiri said to herself. "I don't care what Taiitsu-ko said. I won't lose her again. Not this early in the game."

Chichiri grabbed Thane's face roughly and made the red-head look at her.

"Tasuki, repeat after me. I am not Shun'u Kou."

Thane faltered and Chichiri shook her.

"Say it!"

"I... I'm not... Shun'u Kou," she mumbled. "I'm not Shun'u Kou. Not Shun'u."

"Good. Now say this. I am Thane Rostrevor, Shichiseishi Tasuki."

"I am Thane Rostrevor." That seemed to strike a chord in the red-head. She sat up straighter and her eyes cleared some.

"I am Thane Rostrevor," she said with more conviction. Tasuki's eyes were sparkling now and her voice grew stronger with each word. "I am Thane Rostrevor. Suzaku Shichiseishi Tasuki!"

Tasuki looked at her friend and her eyes went wide.

"Chichiri!"

Tasuki threw her arms around her friend's neck and wept.

"Chichiri, you found me."

The blonde patted her friend's back as tears rolled down her own cheeks.

"Of course I did, no da. I promised."


	7. 6 Breathing Space

**Breathing Space**

Toshi sat on his throne in the demon world as Yukio walked in.

"What, in devil's name happened to you?"

Toshi asked gesturing to Yukio's half-melted face. His resonant voice echoed through the great hall.

"Two of the seishi have been reborn," Yukio muttered.

"All of them have been reborn you idiot," Toshi growled, "so what are you nattering about?"

"The ones known as Chichiri and Tasuki have regained their memories," Yukio said. "I saw Tasuki's tessen, and Chichiri's prayer beads return to them."

Toshi leaned back on his throne. "What were these new seishi like?" the demon lord asked. "I'm curious to know what kind of men the warriors are."

"Actually, there is something unusual about the seishi," Yukio said.

"What do you mean?"

"The two that I met, Chichiri and Tasuki are both," Yukio swallowed, "both, um..." He looked away in uncertain silence. Toshi had had enough. He pounded both fists on the arms of the throne.

"Will you just spit it out!"

"They're both women!" Yukio blurted.

The silence that filled the hall was horrible to Yukio's ears. It was not the silence of uncertainty, or of despair. It was full of something akin to mirth. Toshi began to smile and then started laughing. The horrible laugh started small, as an evil chuckle, and then grew until the sound filled the entire hall. Yukio's skin prickled.

"They're women?" Toshi laughed. "Now that should be fun."

Yukio never cracked a smile. "My lord, may I have Tasuki?"

"Of course you may." The demon's mood abruptly changed. "I see you have wounds to fix. Get out of my sight."

Yukio bowed and stumbled out.

"I'll get my revenge on Tasuki," Yukio muttered to himself. "She will know pain like she's never known before, and then she will die slowly, at my hands. Only by my hands."

* * *

It had been a week since the encounter with Yukio. During that time, the girls had practiced using their power a bit. It had been mostly Chichiri trying to get the hang of teleporting. The blonde had first tried to use a baseball cap as a makeshift kasa, but it had just been creepy when she got the hat down to her shoulders and then wouldn't fit any further. Tasuki had nearly died laughing when Chichiri couldn't remember how to get her head out after she'd gotten it in. After much grumbling, Chichiri had finally gotten out of the hat. 

"They just don't make them like they used to," the blonde grumbled.

Then she had put a spell on a blanket from her bed. After that it was Chichiri's turn to laugh. Tasuki, no matter how hard she tried, could not manage to sink into the blanket gracefully, or for that matter, land on her feet. She'd step on the blanket and instantly be falling face first through kasa space. The blonde teleported the two of them to all over the city. They'd landed in the strangest places. First Tasuki found herself head first in a janitorial bucket, smashed with Chichiri in a cleaning closet, then they'd bounced through four or five private residences. Tasuki thought she'd never get over some of the things they'd seen, she was probably scarred for life. Then, finally, the crazy ride had ended when Chichiri managed to land them on the roof of their dorm building.

"This is where I get off and walk," said Tasuki as she surveyed the drop to the ground.

"I think I've got it," said a weary Chichiri.

"You call landing on the roof having it?" asked the incredulous red-head.

Chichiri just smiled and sat on the blanket. It started glowing and she started sinking.

"Come on Tasuki-chan," the blonde called.

"If this lands us anywhere but our room, you're gonna get it," growled Tasuki.

"Hai, hai, na no da," Chichiri answered, slipping into Japanese.

To Tasuki's immense relief they did indeed land in their room, and on their respective beds no less. Tasuki was a little worried as she watched her roommate change for bed. The blonde's movements were sluggish, and she was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. The red-head's fears were allayed the next day when Chichiri told her that she'd just expended a lot of personal energy.

"Once I've mastered my powers again, I'll be able to cast barriers and bounce us around the city multiple times with no problems."

Tasuki tried to be sympathetic, but was immensely grateful that the tessen didn't drain her like Chichiri's powers drained the other girl. Aside from that their lives were pretty routine. Get up, go to school, come home to do homework, and then go to bed. That night was to be different though. It was finally the weekend and Takeo and Alan had stopped by earlier to invite the girls to Takeo's place for a movie and games. When the appointed hour came the girls walked down the hall of the dorm and knocked on Takeo's door.

"It's been a week," said Tasuki as they waited.

Chichiri nodded. "I wonder when they'll make their next move."

At that moment Alan opened the door.

"Hi guys. Glad to see you could come."

"Hi, no da," said Chichiri, who immediately looked abashed.

Tasuki elbowed her friend and said 'hi' too. Alan's eyes lingered on Chichiri for a second before he let them in.

"Takeo's in the kitchen," he said as he led them to the living room.

Tasuki snorted. "It's so weird to think of Nuriko doing domestic stuff."

At this statement Alan turned and stared at the two girls.

"Have you..." he started.

Takeo bounced into the room with a plate of steaming brownies. She squealed and hugged Chichiri and Tasuki in turn. Then she herded them into the living room where she put in another tape of Fushigi Yuugi. They watched two tapes before Alan had a chance to approach the girls again. Takeo had left the room to get more munchies.

"Have you regained your memories?" he asked as he turned to them.

"Hotohori?" asked Chichiri.

The young man nodded. "I regained my memories during the time that you two were gone last week. I was attending a meeting of the college fencing club. Two of the members had been studying sword techniques from Japan and they gave a demonstration. As they were demonstrating I had a flashback to my training as a prince in Konan. When they asked if anyone wanted to spar with them I volunteered."

"During the sparing match I had another flashback to my fight with Tamahome when he was under kodoku. I'm afraid that if the swords hadn't been wooden that the other boy might have been killed. I was suspended for a month from the club, and for the next two days I was plagued with strange dreams and visions. On the third day I entered something like a coma where I finally sorted everything out. When I came to Takeo was at my side and I recognized her as Nuriko, but she only recognized me as Alan."

"Oh, Your Majesty," said Chichiri sympathetically.

The conversation might have continued, but Takeo chose that moment to return.

"One more tape," she said with a grin, "and then we'll play games."

Things were going okay until the start of the final episode on the tape. Tasuki and Chichiri looked at Hotohori as the episode started wondering how he'd react. He'd been safely back in Konan when this particular event had happened. They could see his eyes shining with pride as Nuriko bravely fought Ashitare and saw him wince as the purple-haired warrior was fatally wounded. Tears started in his eyes as the brave warrior died in his star-brother's arms. A small noise from Takeo made them all look at her. Her eyes were wide and staring, as her mouth worked soundlessly.

"Takeo," said Hotohori as he moved toward her.

She shut her eyes tightly and screamed. The willow symbol flared briefly, shining through her shirt. She screamed again as her symbol vanished and she slammed her fists down on the table breaking it in half. Hotohori grabbed her as she struggled wildly.

"Chichiri," cried the emperor, "do something."

Before Chichiri could do anything Takeo broke Hotohori's hold on her, throwing the young man across the room. She stood on her tip toes, every muscle in her body stretched taught, and then her eyes rolled up in her head as she collapsed. Hotohori moved to go to her, but Chichiri stopped him.

"Go outside," she said. "I'm sure there's some people who want to know what the screaming was about. Tell them we were playing a game or something. I'll take a look at her."

Hotohori nodded reluctantly and left the room. Chichiri knelt at the fallen girl's side and took her prayer beads out from inside her shirt. Taking a breath she closed her eyes and concentrated. After a while she opened her eyes.

"There's something inside her, but I can't track it down. It's almost as if it knows that I'm looking for it."

Tasuki looked over her friend's shoulder. "I wonder if it has anything to do with that black thing that was in her shoulder a few weeks back."

"I didn't even remember that," said Chichiri as she turned Takeo over. "Do you remember which shoulder?"

The question was moot as they lifted Takeo's shirt. On her right shoulder was the small Chinese character "waru". Chichiri gathered her ki and explored the area. A moment later she opened her eyes and shook her head.

"It's concentrated around the character, but I can't do anything to it."

"Lemme see if I can burn it out," said Tasuki.

Chichiri nodded and took the blanket from the back of the couch. She chanted a quick spell.

"Go quickly. I don't want to attract the attention of our enemies."

Tasuki nodded, sank into the glowing blanket, and was back a second later with her tessen. She took careful aim at Takeo's shoulder and released her ki in a carefully focused stream. The skin under and around the character blistered, but the only change to the character was that it went blue. As it changed color Takeo groaned and moved restlessly. Chichiri put her hand on Tasuki's arm.

"I think you'd better stop," said the blonde.

Tasuki nodded reluctantly and quelled her ki. Chichiri cast a minor healing spell on the burn leaving it shiny and pink. The character was untouched. It remained blue and did not revert to its former black color.

"I think we're going to need Mitsukake for this," Chichiri said with a sigh.

Tasuki and Chichiri helped Hotohori get Takeo into bed and promised to check in on her regularly. They didn't mention that they hadn't been able to remove the spell.

"I think it's best not to worry him right now," Chichiri had said.

Tasuki had nodded and the two went back to their room. They quickly readied themselves for bed. Tasuki turned out the light in the room that she and Chichiri shared. Then she leaped through the darkness and landed in a heap on her bed.

"It's nice that three of us remember now isn't it?" Chichiri asked.

"Yeah," Tasuki replied, "but I have a hard time tryin' to remember that I'm a girl now."

"That is a strange one, no da," Chichiri replied. She was surprised when Tasuki started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What's wrong with you, na no da?" she asked.

Tasuki only laughed harder. She shook her head and waved her hands in order to signal Chichiri to wait for her to calm down. Chichiri waited, then couldn't resist the urge to throw her shoe at Tasuki.

"Will you cut that out!" Chichiri asked, half annoyed, and half trying to smother the impulse to laugh herself.

"I remember that too. You seemed to like throwing things at me after the battle with the Seiryuu Seven was over," Tasuki said as she bounced around on her bed. Reaching down she grabbed her newly returned tessen and yelled "Rekka Shinen!"

Chichiri barely had time to cast a barrier as small ribbons of fire wrapped themselves around her and then fizzled out.

"Why did you do that, no da?" she asked.

"You threw a shoe at me, dingwit!" Tasuki laughed then sobered. "Do you think we can get through our lives without calling each other our seishi names in public?"

"I don't know, but the 'no da' thing is sometimes hard to swallow."

"It's hard to balance both lives in my head."

Tasuki rolled over and looked at Chichiri in the darkness, suddenly contemplative. "What did you do when I died?"

Chichiri lay quietly on her bed trying to think of where to start.

"Chichiri?" Tasuki said softly.

"Hmm? Oh. I just don't know where to begin. I cremated you after you were gone and took your ashes to your family's grave as you asked. Then I went to the palace. I was there for about ten years before I died too."

"How did you die Chiri?"

Chichiri smiled at the use of the short name that Tasuki had taken to calling her in their last life.

"I was meditating in the imperial garden. I felt the sun on me and I was so warm. I seemed to float and I thought I heard Suzaku speak to me. He said, 'Rest well my warrior. I don't remember anything else after that until I was about three or four in this life."

"I'm sorry we left you all alone Chiri. I don't remember if I tried to find you after I died, but if it were within my power you know I would have."

"Don't worry Tasuki. I wasn't alone. Just before my memories from my past life stop I do remember hearing Miaka's voice. She was there with me, if only in spirit. And I'm sure we were together, all of us, before we were reborn."

They were quiet for a time, each lost in her own thoughts. Suddenly Chichiri sat up on her bed and Tasuki could feel the other warrior's energy more powerfully.

"What's up Chichiri? More bad guys?"

Chichiri held up a finger for silence as she concentrated. After a moment she opened her eyes and turned to her friend.

"I sense an aura. A familiar aura, but I can't quite place my finger on it though. It's defiantly another one of us." Chichiri rammed her fist into the pillow on her bed. "I wish I had all my powers back. This is so frustrating!"

"Can you tell if the person was in danger?" Tasuki asked.

Chichiri concentrated for a moment then shook her head. "No. Everything seems fine. In fact it's gone now."

Tasuki yawned and rolled over. "Well then," she said sleepily, "why don't we sleep, and try to find them tomorrow. It's late, and we are still students, you know."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Chichiri said. She gave one last look outside the window and lay back down. "We'll find them soon."

* * *

Toshi gazed in his mirror. Like Taiitsu-kun in the book world, he too had a mirror that showed him anything he wanted to see. For the past few days he had followed the two awakened warriors and learned about them. Much of what they did was unimportant, but the evening with Nuriko proved to be interesting, revealing that yet another warrior was a woman. He'd been searching the city for the rest of the Suzaku Seven and their priestess, when he felt one of his traps trigger. 

"What is this?" he muttered. Switching the mirror to the two warriors he discovered that they had found the mark on Nuriko's shoulder. The one intended for Chichiri. But this fit into his plans as easily as if it had been placed on Chichiri. Nuriko was a force to be reckoned with, and they would be busy trying to solve this mystery,

"Killing them isn't the answer, that's where Nakago failed," Toshi muttered as he watched the warriors sleep. "Tenkou failed when he killed the priestess. The fools always kept going, and always struggled, no matter what the cost. What is it? What keeps all of them going? What do they believe in?"

Toshi continued his search over the city. He had felt the faint aura of another warrior, just as Chichiri had, a kind of painful echo in his head. It was most likely a dream, but Toshi focused his mind on that echo. Then he found it.

It was a small grey brick house, two stories high. Ordinary. The demon lord scanned the occupants. To his surprise he found not one resonance, but two. And one of them was Mitsukake.

"If they can't get to him, they can't heal Nuriko, and I can have her," he smiled. He waved his hand, and a shadow appeared in front of him, solidifying into a man.

"Your will, master?" it asked.

"Take several of your best warriors with you to a residence in the city," Toshi commanded. "You will feel it, as I have marked the house for you. Kill all who dwell within, and make sure that if anyone else shows up, you kill them as well."

The man bowed, and as he vanished, Toshi felt a small sense of victory. He would dispose of the three remaining seishi, and their precious miko, none of whom had regained their memories, and then he would deal with the three who did remember, and Nuriko. Nuriko, having not awakened, was not a problem. The intense pain she was feeling would most likely drive her mad, and she would end up killing herself, if not others with her. In the meantime, while Nuriko suffered, and her emperor with her, he would start with Mitsukake.

As he watched the night sky in the human world he felt a presence in the room. He looked at the end of the hall. There stood one of his servants, Kyoko, unbidden, in his presence.

"What do you want?" he grumbled.

"Master, I have come to ask you what you intend to do with Tamahome."

Anger welled up within the demon lord. "Of what concern is my plan to you?"

"Master, I desire the opportunity to prove myself to you. Let me have Tamahome."

"Perhaps, but not yet. If you want him, I will tell you when I decide to give him to you. Now leave me."

The woman bowed and left. A slight smile crossed her face. "Tamahome."

* * *

The shadow warriors weren't able to attack until the next evening. They had taken longer to find the house then Lord Toshi had intended, arriving as the sun was rising. Because their powers were stronger at night, they waited and watched the occupants of the little house. 

The man, Jason, left in the morning, and returned in the bright afternoon. He was greeted by an attractive woman, his wife, Julie. The leader of the shadow-men grinned. They were a proud race, mostly assassins, but if they could kill a loved one in front of the intended target, it made the killing that much better.

The third member of the house, was a girl, no more than thirteen or fourteen, and the leader could feel his men thirst for her blood. Young virgin blood was a delicacy for the shadow people, it had power to sustain their forms during the day in the sunlight, if they drank enough.

The leader looked at the sky. "Soon. We can attack them soon."

* * *

The knock on the door during diner was a surprise. Jason looked at his wife. 

"I wasn't expecting company," she said.

"Hey don't look at me, I wasn't either," Skyler said defensively as her brother looked at her.

Julie stood up to answer the door. Jason and Skyler continued eating but both listened to Julie.

"Hello?" she asked as she opened the door.

Jason and Skyler heard a mumbled man's voice answer, then a sudden cut off scream from Julie brought Jason to his feet. He raced to the front room to see his wife being dragged out into the yard by three men in dark suits.

"Julie!" Jason yelled as his wife fell to the ground in a heap. The leader of the men turned to smile grimly at Jason. Two others stood over his wife, as Jason stood paralyzed..

"Jason what is it?" Skyler asked from the kitchen doorway.

"Skyler stay back!" Jason yelled.

"If you have no distractions, you can fight better, ne?" the leader said.

Jason walked out of the doorway and punched the man in the face. It was like punching a bag full of Jell-o. There seemed to be no real substance to him. The man punched back and Jason doubled over clutching at his stomach.

"Jason!" Skyler screamed, racing out of the front door. She bowled headfirst into the man, knocking Jason's assailant back. She readied herself for another attack, but Jason held out his hand to stop her.

"Skyler," he wheezed, still recovering from the blow, "stay back."

Skyler struggled against his arm.

"They've got Julie though," she cried, "Jason they've got mama!"

Jason turned to his sister in shock.

"What did you say?" he asked. The shadow-men started to creep up on them.

"Jason she's the only mother I've ever had, Aunt Darcie was never a mother!" Skyler began to sob. "We have to help mama, Jason."

Jason whirled around as one of the suit men ran at him. Jason grabbed him with his hands and held him in a choke hold. As he gripped the man's neck Skyler screamed. Jason twisted around with the struggling man and watched in horror as Skyler seemed to give off a faint red light and then was grabbed from either side by the other two men.

* * *

The day had gone smoothly and Tasuki yawned. She and Chichiri were walking home from the local ice cream parlor and Tasuki was beginning to get restless. Stupid as it sounded the red-head was itching for a fight. Konan had been full of morons that Tasuki could rough up a little when she got restless. The modern world was too quiet. Chichiri stopped abruptly and Tasuki only barely avoided running into her friend. 

"What's up, Chiri?" asked the red-head.

"I just felt another aura. It was almost like someone was trying to cast a spell."

"I thought you were the only one who could do all that mystic stuff."

Chichiri shook her head. "I was teaching Chiriko how to cast spells while we were fighting Tenkou. Just now, it felt like Chiriko was casting a spell, but he hasn't fully awakened yet. Something's wrong."

The two warriors looked at each other for a second before Tasuki grabbed the coat off Chichiri and spread it out on the ground.

"Have you perfected out that teleportation spell yet?" asked the red-head.

"If I haven't, this'll be another interesting ride."

Tasuki just grinned as Chichiri began to chant. At last, somebody to fight.

* * *

"Skyler!" Jason shouted. 

Time seemed to slow down for the two siblings. Jason snapped the neck of the man he was holding, and ran towards his sister. Before he could reach her he started seeing a very different scene.

_A giant demon of the highest level crashed through the monastery towards the little group. Brave little Chiriko fought his inner demon as Miboshi, of the Seiryuu Seven, struggled to take complete control of the thirteen-year-old._

_Miaka tripped and the fist of the rock giant sped on its way to crush the life of the Suzaku no Miko. With a scream, Chiriko plunged Miboshi's prayer wheel into his own arm to stop the demon. At great cost to himself, he prevented Miboshi from completing his mission to kill the Suzaku no Miko. _

_Mitsukake watched in horror as the young boy, who looked so much younger than he really was, stab his leg and finally pierced his own heart with the prayer wheel needle. The young seishi cried in a loud voice, "I am a Suzaku Warrior!" then his words melded together to become a scream that tore at Mitsukake's heart._

_I couldn't save him then,_ Jason/Mistukake remembered

"...but I can save you now Chiriko!" Jason yelled. Reaching deep into his heart Jason pulled awake the power inside of him, drawing forth the spell to expel demons. He'd had to do it once before when Shoka had been possessed by the Shikonki demon. Now, if he could remember, he would have to do it again.

"Healing...Forces!" Jason's voice echoed down the street. Stretching forth his left hand he felt the once familiar warm glow of the mark of Suzaku, and a green light filled the air. Skyler slipped into unconsciousness as one of the shadow-men gripped her throat. The green light washed over the two remaining shadow-men and Skyler. As Jason watched the shadow-men disintegrated and Skyler fell to the ground gasping for air.

"Chiriko!" Jason leaped to his sister's side. Skyler sat up with Jason's help and gasped for air.

"Who?" she asked. Jason just held Skyler close in a death grip hug. "Jason," she gasped, "I can't breathe." Her brother released her and smiled.

"I'm just glad that you're okay sis," he said.

"Jason," came Julie's voice from the sidewalk.

Jason turned and ran to his wife. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to where Skyler waited. The two most important women in his life looked to Jason with trusting eyes.

"What do we do now Jason?" Julie asked. Jason shook his head against the memories that bombarded his mind. He'd sort them out later.

"Do you think they'll be back?" Skyler asked.

_If I can remember who I am destined to be, then they'll come back, _Jason thought._ Skyler is also someone destined to fight, but she is so young. I could not bear it if Chiriko died in front of me again. I am Mitsukake of the Suzaku Seven, and if I have to I will not allow Chiriko to regain her memories. I will not allow her to die before she has experienced life._

"Yes," he said. "They will be back again."

_I must find the others, and I must keep them away to protect my family._

Jason stood and began herding his family back inside when a commotion on the front lawn caught his attention. He turned to face the new threat and found two girls in a tangled heap on the ground. The blonde got herself disentangled rather quickly and stood while the red-head sat moaning and rubbing her backside.

"Who are you," Jason demanded.

The red-head still oblivious to what was going on, looked around and muttered softly, "Oh man! Looks like we missed the fight."

Chichiri gently kicked her friend. Tasuki jumped to her feet and the girls faced the three people across the front yard. The girls stared at Jason for a long moment before turning to each other.

"Is that who I think it is?" asked Tasuki

Chichiri nodded. "It's Mitsukake, no da."


	8. 7 The Demon Strikes

**The Demon Strikes**

Jason turned from the girls and ushered his family into the house.

"Stay here. I'll find out what those girls want and send them on their way."

Julie tried to protest, but Jason gave her a reassuring smile and closed the door. Then he faced Chichiri and Tasuki. They had crossed the lawn and were standing at the bottom of the steps.

"Now, who are you?" he asked.

"Don't you recognize us?" asked Chichiri

Jason's vision blurred and for a moment a bandit and a monk stood at the bottom of his stairs. He shook his head to clear it.

"You look a little familiar," he admitted. "Have we met before?"

"Not in this life," said Tasuki helpfully.

Chichiri curbed her impulse to hit the red-head and settled for glaring at her.

"Does the name Suzaku mean anything to you?" asked Chichiri.

Jason's eyes went wide as memories began to flood through his mind.

"How 'bout Chiriko or Shoka?" asked Tasuki.

Chichiri nudged her friend. "Not too much. We don't want to overload him."

"What is he," Tasuki grinned at her friend, "a computer? He can handle it."

Jason swayed on his feet, trying to sort out all the memories running pel-mel through his head. He grabbed the railing as the girls were again replaced with the bandit and monk.

"Chichiri," he said staring at the blonde. Then turning to the red-head, "And Tasuki."

The girls nodded. Jason's head cleared a little and he stood straighter.

"I want you to leave. Now."

"But Mitsukake," Chichiri started to say.

"No!" he cut her off. "I don't want you coming here. I don't want any part of whatever it is that you've gotten yourselves into. Just stay away from me and my family."

With that he went in the house and closed the door firmly behind him.

"Well, that went over well," said Chichiri as she turned to leave.

"Yeah. Like a ton a bricks," muttered Tasuki.

* * *

Yukio paced the room restlessly. 

"I'm tired of waiting," he said.

The other occupant of the room, a woman dressed in purple, sighed and wished for something to throw at the tall man.

"Yuki-chan, sit down before you wear a hole in the carpet," she said dramatically.

"Yoko-chan," he mimicked, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "don't tell me what to do."

Kyoko rose from her chair, her long violet cape flaring behind her as she called on her power.

"Do not mock me-" she started to say.

Yukio cut her off. "Or what? You'll pit your pathetic power against mine?"

Yukio raised his hand and Kyoko found herself surrounded by a fast spinning air funnel. She was about to laugh at his trick when she realized that the air was being sucked away from her. She clawed wildly at the invisible walls of her prison as Yukio watched.

"It must be hard to fight back when you can't breathe," he mused.

Kyoko's vision started to grey and she was on the verge of passing out when Yukio dissolve his spell. She landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor, gasping for air. Yukio walked to where she lay and grabbed a fistful of her hair, lifting her head so he could look into her eyes.

"We may both serve Toshi-sama, but I am stronger than you. Don't forget that."

Yukio dropped Kyoko's head to the floor and backed away before disappearing.

* * *

Toshi watched the scene in one of his mirrors. 

_The fools_, he thought. _They shouldn't be fighting each other when we have the Suzaku Seishi to deal with._

With a wave of his hand Toshi summoned Kyoko to him. She appeared on the floor and hastily stood before bowing.

"My lord?"

"I have decided that it is time to raise the stakes in this game. I want you to go kidnap the Suzaku no Miko. We will hold her here and force the Suzaku Seishi to come to us."

Kyoko looked at her lord with expectation in her eyes.

"And Tamahome, my lord? What should I do if he tries to interfere?"

"You may deal with him as you see fit."

Kyoko bowed again and vanished.

* * *

It was their second anniversary. Will and Mia Whitlark sat in front of their apartment building watching the city life go by from where they were picnicking on the lawn. Gradually the sunset turned to twilight, and twilight turned to night. 

Mia sighed and leaned back against her husband. "Thanks for a wonderful day Will," she said tilting her face up to his.

"It's all because I found you, you know," Will replied as he leaned in for a kiss. The world faded out as they focused only on each other.

The two lovers were jolted out of the moment by a voice laughing nearby. Mia and Will looked around to find the location of the laughter. Finally, by looking up, they saw a woman with lavender hair atop a light pole. She wore a purple body suit, her flat stomach peeping out of a diamond shaped hole in the center. Thigh high purple stiletto boots, a purple cape and purple wrist bracers on her arms completed her ensemble.

"Too much purple," Mia muttered. The woman just laughed maniacally.

Will stood up and balled his fists.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

The woman jumped from the light pole and did a front flip in the air which landed her inches from Will. Instinctively he stepped back and flinched when her hand reached out and rested on his shoulder. Will brushed off her hand with a defiant gesture.

"Oh surely Tamahome, you are not afraid of me?" she teased.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Will growled. "My name's William Whitlark, not Tama-whatever."

The woman waved her hand in the air and laughed off his statement.

"Tamahome, Sou Kishuku, Taka Sukanami, or William Whitlark, you are still the same man." She stepped toward him again. "And I am still in love with you."

Grabbing his head with both hands she planted a passionate kiss on Will's lips. Neither one noticed a strangled sound coming from Mia as she bounced to her feet. As the woman released Will, Mia bowled into her knocking them both to the ground. The woman was on her feet quickly. Mia jumped up as fast as she could, but it still looked slow and ungraceful comparatively.

The woman stood glaring at Mia, no longer in a laughing mood. Mia glared back, both of them looking like two lionesses fighting over one lion.

Will looked from one woman to another. This situation felt... familiar. Suddenly a feeling of warmth and power blazed across his forehead. He had a dazed look on his face as he shook his head to clear it, trying to figure a way to save his wife.

* * *

"Tamahome!" yelled Chichiri as she sat up. 

The blonde's cry woke Tasuki who also sat up and looked around.

"That's a new one," quipped the red-head when she found no immediate danger. "Usually it's Miaka callin' for Tama."

"This is no laughing matter Tasuki," said Chichiri as she turned on the light. She stripped off her pajamas and started getting dressed.

"I sensed Tamahome's life force for a second. I think he's in danger."

Tasuki jumped up and started pulling on some clothes too.

"Why didn't ya say so?" the girl asked. "Let's go already."

* * *

"How dare you interrupt us!" the woman in purple raged. "You should not attack me Suzaku no Miko, for I am more than a match for you." 

"I don't care what you call me, or who you consider a match for yourself," Mia retorted, "nobody kisses my husband but me!" She ran at the woman again, but missed completely when the woman, with seemingly little effort, leaped into the air and flipped to where Mia had been.

"Perhaps I should introduce myself," the woman said as she brushed a lock of lavender hair off of her shoulder. "I am Kyoko, Left Hand of Toshi-sama, and Lord of the Earth. I have come for you Suzaku no Miko," she stood up straight and her fists began to glow green.

"I am Mia Whitlark, wife to William Whitlark, and I'm not afraid of you- you purple people eater!" Mia yelled.

To anyone else she might have seemed unafraid, and defiant of the woman with glowing fists, but to Will, who knew her the best, she was terrified, and putting all she had into her fight with the mysterious stranger. And he knew that Mia was in danger.

"Congratulations miko-sama," Kyoko said almost conversationally, "but your defiance will save you no longer. Your husband, girl, is destined to be mine!"

Kyoko flung her hands at Mia sending two balls of green light speeding at the stunned woman, who stood, all her defiant energy gone, frozen to the spot.

"Miaka!" Will shouted as he raced to protect his wife. He grabbed her and put himself between the balls of light and his wife. A brief red aura surrounded Will before the energy balls hit him in the back, knocking the couple to the ground

"Tamahome!" Kyoko cried as she watched the two fall and lay still. His arms were still locked around his wife.

"Oh for crying out loud! This is the champion of the Suzaku Shichiseishi? I never realized he was so weak."

Casting a spell, Kyoko, and her kidnaped lovers, were surrounded by a startling green light and then vanished.

* * *

Chichiri and Tasuki appeared at the apartment building in time to see Kyoko disappear with Tamahome and Miaka. 

"We were too late," Chichiri fumed.

"That wasn't Yukio," said Tasuki. "How many of these guys are we up against?"

Chichiri seemed not to hear and knelt beside the scorched earth and touched the ground.

"Chichiri, what are looking for?" Tasuki asked curiously.

"Anything that might tell me who that woman was. I'm hoping that she left some kind of clue that we can follow."

The two girls searched for any clue to solve this latest puzzle. The combined physical and mystical search only turned up a faint trace of the power that had kidnaped Tamahome and Miaka, but Chichiri didn't feel confident enough in her teleporting skills to try following that faint trace. In frustration the warriors went back home.

* * *

The girls lay in bed. The lights had been out for hours, but Chichiri found sleep elusive. 

"Tasuki," Chichiri said softly.

"Hmm?" came the soft reply.

"Can't sleep?"

"Nope."

"Me neither."

After a moment's silence, Chichiri asked, "Do you wonder why we were chosen to remember our lives as seishi in this life?"

"No," Tasuki replied. "I haven't given it much thought. I'm just glad I remember my true self."

"True self," Chichiri said thoughtfully then laughed quietly. "I nearly went crazy trying to remind myself that I wasn't Ri Houjun."

"Well I figure that if my soul, by some strange twist in the universe, is meant to serve Suzaku, then my soul is mine, no matter what form I'm in."

"Yeah, I finally got that sorted out in my head too, no da." Chichiri tilted her head to one side. "How did you manage it?"

"I just reminded myself over and over that I wasn't Genrou the Suzaku Seishi called Tasuki. I'm Thane, the Suzaku Seishi called Tasuki. Something you told me when I first got hit by that Yukio character."

Chichiri gave a little laugh. "I did say that didn't I, no da. And you remembered."

"Hey, I'm not that stupid ya know," Tasuki said, opening one eye to glare at her friend.


	9. 8 Turning of the Tide

**Turning of the Tide**

Torture. That's all the Suzaku Shichiseishi knew. Torture and anguish at not being able to help the ones they loved. And that's the way Toshi wanted it.

Tamahome and Miaka, once a happy couple in the early stages of marriage, were now in his power. Tamahome watched as his lovely wife lay in a coma day after day, begging, pleading for her to open up her eyes. Miaka did not respond. Tamahome grew more and more frantic as time passed. Toshi thought that nothing could have been more perfect, if the coma had been his doing. But it wasn't. Both Tamahome and Miaka had been unconscious when Kyoko had arrived with them, but Tamahome had woken up soon enough. Miaka lay as if dead, only the steady rise and fall of her chest gave any sign of life. Toshi couldn't even reach her in her dreams. Each time he tried pain like searing fire ran through his brain.

His spell on Nuriko was working just fine, however. Hotohori was at a loss as to what to do as he watched the beautiful warrior grow emaciated, and unresponsive to the real world. She no longer went to classes or interacted much with anyone other then Hotohori, Tasuki, and Chichiri. And even then Nuriko couldn't seem to stay lucid for long. She was gradually going insane.

Tasuki and Chichiri, ah now there was a pair. The two gun-ho warriors amused Toshi. The first to awaken, the strongest in powers, next to Tamahome, and probably the most startling change was with them- reborn as women. Nuriko and Chiriko had also been born as women, but Toshi often wondered if they should have been female all along. But to see the arrogant bandit now a small, fiery girl made him laugh. Did she really have the strength she'd had in her past life?

Chichiri, however, made him pause. Using ki was a matter of will, and men and women were often matched in measures of spirit. Up until now Chichiri had not managed to gain control of all her powers. That was rapidly changing. Every day the sorceress set some time aside to practice using her ki. Teleportation spells, small manipulations and illusions, each day they were growing more accurate and stronger. He would have to deal with her soon.

And the book. That accursed tome that linked the world he now dwelled in with the world of the Four Gods and the world of the mikos. The ShiJinTenChiSho. His minions had not been able to locate the book anywhere. He needed it if he were to bring his plans to fruition.

The only things that seemed to truly be working out for Toshi were Mitsukake and Chiriko. The healer wanted nothing to do with the apparent battle the Suzaku Shichiseishi were in, and little Chiriko had not gained back her memories. He just had to make sure that things stayed as they were.

* * *

"Look heika, look at my little sister!" Takeo crowed, holding up a stuffed animal. 

She'd taken to calling Hotohori 'heika', even though she hadn't truly regained her memories as Nuriko. Little sister? It was apparent that Nuriko had regained some of her former memories, but was unable to awaken fully. Hotohori was slowly worrying himself to death. Nuriko was simply going insane.

Tasuki and Chichiri had been kind. They came over every day, helping with meals, or whatever Takeo needed. Hotohori knew they were worried, but he often felt like they were holding something back from him. If only they could find Mitsukake. Surely the healer could help Nuriko. Hotohori wouldn't mind if she were healed and remained merely Takeo. He just wanted the bright and happy woman that he'd fallen in love with back.

"Heika, come," the girl cried as she dragged Hotohori to the bookcase. Hotohori found himself facing the video tapes labeled Fushigi Yuugi. Impossibly, there was the story of the tragic Seiryuu Shichiseishi and their war against the Suzaku Shichiseishi. His story, as well. He almost cursed the tapes, for they had sent Takeo into madness when she had seen Nuriko die.

"What is it Takeo?" he asked gently.

The girl poked a finger into his chest. He winced, for she had gained back part of her strength, and simple taps from her could hurt.

"I know who you are," she said, giggling inanely. "I know who you are, you're the emperor aren't you. But not anymore. You died." Takeo's voice became soft, forlorn. "I died first though, oh yes, I was first. Do you know what it's like to have a hand rammed through your heart?" The sadness died in her eyes replaced by a look of frenzied anger. "You weren't there, so you couldn't know! The pain of walking forward step by step, feeling your energy drain from you as your blood runs down your body, cooling even before it drops to the snow. I wanted to live! I wanted to prove that I could match up against one of them, but all I really wanted to do in the end was live!"

The anger abruptly drained from Takeo's body and she began sobbing. Hotohori's arms went tightly around the girl as she cried. He gently propelled her to her bed and sat her down, holding her all the while as her tears came out in torrents.

"Shh, I am sorry I wasn't there. I had no choice. I prayed everyday for you and the others, and I felt your death deep inside my heart." His hand soothed her hair as her sobbing gradually decreased. "But you're alive now. We're together again and we're going to keep it that way."

He kept on talking until her crying subsided and she sagged against him, her strength spent. Her breathing slowed and became regular and Hotohori realized that she'd had fallen asleep on his chest. He laid her down and left her room. Shutting the door behind him he sat on the couch and began to cry as he waited for Tasuki and Chichiri to come.

* * *

The past few days had been rather rotten. Tasuki and Chichiri had not been able to go to many of their classes, simply because either shadow-minions were attacking them, or they were with Nuriko. 

They sat in their room finally catching a minute to do their homework. Tasuki's mind was not on the French book in front of her. Instead she was trying to figure out a way to heal Nuriko and still respect Mitsukake's wishes and leave him alone. No matter how she thought about it, nothing else would work. They couldn't go to the hospital, who would believe them? Asking for modern medicine to heal a curse from an ancient Chinese curse marked on their friend's back? The idea was laughable. She banged her hand on her desk in frustration.

"Don't do that, no da!" Chichiri said as she jumped.

"Damn it, why does Mitsukake have to be so hard-headed!" Tasuki nearly shouted. "He gave his life to heal others, and now he just doesn't want to? We need him, and we need Chiriko too!"

Chichiri sighed and put down her Japanese book. There was no true studying to be done until this 'Lord Toshi' was gone. That's who Yukio had said he worked for.

"I don't know," she said. "I think something happened in this life to make him even more protective of those he loves, no da."

"I don't care. Chichiri, let's go talk to him," Tasuki insisted.

"No. I'm not going to push it." She glanced at the clock, "Besides, it's time we went over to Nuriko's to see how she's doing. We're late, no da."

Tasuki stood and stretched, her joints popping. "Fine. I'll go along with what you say, but I still think we need Mitsukake."

As they left their apartment, Chichiri admitted to herself that her brash friend might be right.

* * *

The voices that constantly murmured in her head had all agreed that this was the best course of action. She seemed stuck in a black hole, barely able to function in the world around her. She knew what was going on, she just wasn't able to tell anyone else. Not even his Highness. But there was something different about him. He didn't dress right anymore. Neither did she, but that's because she couldn't find the appropriate clothing items in her room. How she missed the feel of silks. The voices muttered and she sighed. Must continue. 

His Highness was sleeping, so she tiptoed past him, giggling a little because of the game. She had to stay quiet enough so that he would stay asleep. The door appeared in her limited vision, and she scrabbled quietly for the doorknob. She would come back. She just had to find what the voices were talking about.

* * *

"Hotohori wake up!" Chichiri cried. "Nuriko's gone!" 

The young man snapped awake. Tasuki and Chichiri were standing in front of him, both

wearing panicked expressions. Tasuki also looked ready to bite something.

"Great, you fell asleep and she escaped," the red-head growled. "Can you imagine what the city is going to go through with an insane half-awakened warrior on the loose? She's got a lot of her strength now, can you imagine what's going to happen if somebody tries to arrest her!"

Chichiri snapped her fingers. "I can try to locate her ki!"

Hotohori, now that he was on his feet and had seen for himself that Takeo was really gone, was ready to take any suggestions.

"Will that really help?" he asked.

"Well, if I borrow the blanket off of Nuriko's bed here," she said as she yanked the quilt off and placed it on the floor, "and give me a minute to locate her ki, then I can kasa-space us there in no time, no da. Hopefully she won't have caused too much damage, yet, na no da."

"If only we had Mitsukake with us," Hotohori said sadly, "then Nuriko would be able to be healed in a matter of moments."

The heavy silence that filled the air could have been cut with a knife. From the looks Tasuki and Chichiri sent each other, Hotohori could piece together two things. They had found Mitsukake, and he either hadn't awakened, or there was something else that was wrong.

"Where is Mitsukake!" Hotohori demanded.

"He, he doesn't want anything to do with us," Tasuki said softly. "Miss Shouka and Chiriko are with him as well. He finally married Shouka and is not willing to put her in danger. Or Chiriko."

Hotohori's patience snapped. The love of his life was insane and missing, and some of his best friends were unwilling to awaken to their duties. The normally gentle man had a look of intense anger on his face.

"Chichiri!" he said imperially. Old habits die hard.

"Yes, your Highness?" said Chichiri, as she went to one knee. Hotohori noticed that he was not the only one with past life habits to break.

"Please, find Nuriko," the ex-emperor said softly. "Lets find her and appeal to Mitsukake as I did once for Miaka."

Chichiri could hear the pain in Hotohori's voice and she nodded. She'd heard about Miaka's illness, of course, while she'd been masquerading as the emperor, to allow him to protect Miaka during Tamahome's absence. She stood quietly and focused her energy on the presence of Nuriko. She got an impression of trees and a small body of water negatively resonating with a confused ki. Not exactly what she wanted, but it would have to do.

"I think I've found her," the blonde said, "but it's more like I found what's around her. It's as if her ki is resonating badly with her surroundings, so it's a long shot."

"Long shot or no, let's take it!" Tasuki said enthusiastically, punching a fist into the air.

Hotohori nodded.

"All right then!" Chichiri said. "Let's go!"

Chichiri and Hotohori did all right, but Tasuki, as usual, sank headfirst into the blanket which seemed to fold in on itself and vanished into the floor after the three figures.

* * *

The three warriors landed in a heap, so quick was Chichiri's haste to get them to the dissonant ki, that she didn't plan the landing quite as well as she could have. Tasuki landed face down in some rather foul-smelling mud, Hotohori landed knee deep in the creek. Chichiri, however, was hanging from a rather tall tree, by holding on to the edges of her blanket. 

"You two okay, no da?" she called.

Hotohori yelled an assent, but Tasuki only glared. Three inches from where her face landed was a pile of animal dung. Chichiri floated down to the ground and folded the blanket over her shoulder keas-style and secured it with her belt.

"All right Chichiri, where is she?" Hotohori asked.

Feeling in the need for levity Chichiri cast an illusion, giving herself the ears, front paws, and tail of a dog. She went chibi and sniffed at the air. When she looked up both Tasuki and Hotohori were glaring at her. Quickly dissolving her illusion she stretched out her senses and felt for the negative flow of ki. When she found a thread of it, she turned toward it and started running.

"This way, no da!" she shouted behind her. Tasuki was quickly at her side, Hotohori following not too far behind.

"You really can be an idiot, you know that?" Tasuki hollered at her as they ran.

"Look, somehow this situation doesn't seem all that terrifying. We've found Mitsukake, and I think, no, I know that he's going to help. I can feel Nuriko, and we'll be out of this in two shakes of a lamb's tail," the blonde answered.

"Wag, wag," Tasuki said drily.

Just then Chichiri stopped. Tasuki's reflexes helped her to stop in time, for they were at the edge of a fifteen-foot drop. Hotohori's reflexes were a little wiped out from watching Nuriko, so Tasuki, for the second time that day, found herself hurdling through space, only to land on her face once again.

As she sat up she muttered, "I'm lucky that I'm a celestial warrior, or something like this is gonna kill me one day."

Chichiri and Hotohori didn't move. Tasuki looked up at them to yell, but stopped when she saw the expressions on their faces. Tasuki looked around and found Nuriko standing a few feet away. Tasuki rubbed her eyes. For a moment she thought she was seeing double. Then she realized what was going on. Nuriko's spirit was showing through Takeo's body. The Nuriko Tasuki had originally known when Miaka was fulfilling her duties as a miko seemed to be trying to hold his new incarnation back. And that incarnation looked angry.

"Why couldn't you hear me?" Takeo yelled at Tasuki, the closest person to her.

"Nuriko, I can hear ya now," Tasuki said, standing up and brushing herself off.

"When I was dying you weren't there. Nobody was! You were all there too late!" Nuriko screamed. Tasuki dodged as Nuriko suddenly came at her, fists flying. Pulling out her tessen, Tasuki turned around for the next charge from the deranged warrior.

"Tasuki, no!" Chichiri yelled from the drop-off. "Don't injure her, what she's doing is not her fault!"

"I know that!" Tasuki yelled back as she used the open fan to block Nuriko's punches. "I'm not going to fry her!"

Nuriko spun around with a kick too fast for Tasuki to dodge. The red-head flew back into a tree, all her breath whooshing out as she slid to the ground.

"She's just really strong," the fire warrior wheezed.

Tasuki looked up through blinding flashes of light to see Nuriko about to punch her again. Too dazed to move Tasuki tried as best she could to steel herself for the blow. Then Chichiri was there, using her teleportation powers, and placed a well-aimed blow to the back of Nuriko's neck. The girl fell without a sound to the ground, unconscious. Tasuki stood shakily and rubbed various parts of her that were sore.

"That was a close one," she muttered. "Thanks, Chiri, for saving me. Again."

The blond warrior put a hand on Tasuki's shoulder.

"That's what I'm here for, no da," she said softly.

Hotohori walked forward and gathered the fallen girl in his arms.

"You said Mitsukake was awakened?" he asked. The other two nodded. "Then, Chichiri, let us take her there."

Chichiri spread the blanket on the ground and gathered her ki. She could only hope that Mitsukake would forgive them for their intrusion after their promise not to.

* * *

"The lucky Suzaku idiots!" Toshi cried. "Nothing works against them! I'm surrounded by incompetents!" 

Shadow-men crouched as their lord's tirade continued. Toshi picked a few of them up with his magic and threw them at each other. The shadows crashed and melded with each other, falling to the ground in non-humanoid forms. They separated and hurried back to their places.

Columns toppled over, and the waterfalls that fell into small pools in the Great Hall were suddenly invaded by sea-green chunks of stone. It was in watching the water spill over the floor that gave Toshi the idea.

"I have a lord of earth, a lord of the air, I could always use another demon lord." He smiled, such a cold chilling smile that an icicle would have fell warm in its presence. Toshi called forth a an obsidian sphere. A solitary person appeared in the globe, and he watched the figure as if watching a video with the sound off.

"I think," he mused, "that I have just the candidate." He clenched his hand and the globe vanished.

"Kyoko!" he called. The woman in purple appeared at his left side.

"Yes, my lord?" she asked.

"I know you wanted a moment with your precious Tamahome, but I have another job for you. I want you to capture..."

* * *

Chichiri landed the group a bit more carefully then she had before. Tasuki, as usual, landed upside down on the lawn. Hotohori walked forward with Nuriko cradled in his arms. Tasuki, who'd recovered from the landing, ran forward and rang the bell. 

A woman answered the door. Hotohori stopped in his tracks.

"M-miss Shoka!" he said, startled. The woman looked a little surprised.

"You must have me confused with someone else," she said. "My name is Julie."

Julie seemed about to say something more, but she stopped as she caught sight of the disheveled woman in Hotohori's arms.

"Oh my goodness, what happened here?" She didn't give them a chance to explain as she ushered them into the house.

"You can put her on the couch," she said motioning to the large couch.

Hotohori followed her into the living room and gently placed Nuriko down. His hand lingered as he brushed a lock of hair away from her face. Chichiri came forward and smiled.

"Your husband a doctor isn't he?" she asked.

"Yes, he is, but he's not here at the moment," Julie said.

Tasuki felt a little hopeless. Where were they going to go if Mitsukake wasn't home? Then she had a bit of inspiration.

"I met Dr. Rivers once. I had been in a motorcycle accident and, uh, had a broken left leg and arm, a couple of broken ribs and a lot of scrapes and bruises," the red-head said.

Chichiri smiled behind her friend. Tasuki could feel the silent giggle and gave a look at her friend. The blonde changed her smirk to an oh-so-innocent face.

"Oh? Did Jason set your limbs?" Julie asked, "I know he's very kind. I'm rarely sick, so I've actually never needed to go to him in the hospital. He always takes care of me here."

Tasuki nodded. "He fixed me up, so I figured he'd be able to help my friend. I'm afraid I wasn't much of a patient, though." Tasuki blushed from embarrassment. She was referring to her previous life when Tamahome had been under the spell of kodoku and beaten her to a pulp.

"Well I'm sure he'll be able to help your friend then. I'm just sorry you have to wait till he gets home."

The warriors all felt a collective smile across their faces. Poor Miss Shoka, who'd died of a serious illness, was now a happy healthy woman.

Julie turned her attention to Nuriko again. "What happened to this poor girl?"

"She fell ill a few days ago," Hotohori explained. "She doesn't have the insurance to see a specialist," he said, with a lightning idea of his own. "Tas, uh, Thane said she knew a doctor, and we came in hopes that your husband could help. I'm so sorry for the intrusion."

"Oh, it's nothing," Julie said, "I love helping people. I always have. Can I get anything for you?" she asked the three visitors.

The three looked at each other. For Tasuki and Hotohori, they'd known the shikonki Shoka, and Chichiri had heard about her, so it was a little odd to see Shoka as the same helpful person. Tasuki had a small shiver. What if Lord Toshi had a hold on her now? Then she shook it off. No, the shikonki monster was well and truly gone.

"No, thank you," they all said.

"Well make yourself at home," Julie said, "I'm just finishing up my laundry. So please excuse me for being a bad hostess."

When the three had made the proper polite statements Julie left.

"So, now we wait for him to come home." Tasuki said. "Oh, joy."


	10. 9 Gambit

**Gambit**

Kyoko ran a hand over Tamahome's bare chest. He was standing chained to an onyx slab in the center of a dark room. The only light was a weak yellowish glow that came from an undetermined source somewhere above his head.

"There's something about a man chained to a sacrificial slab that's just sexy," the lavender-haired woman purred.

Tamahome kept himself still, though every fiber of his being was screaming for him to get away from the woman. After he'd regained consciousness she'd removed his polo shirt with a knife, much to the warrior's disgust and embarrassment. In fact she'd removed everything but his pants. Shoes, socks, even his watch, and most importantly, his wedding ring.

"You make me sick," Tamahome spat.

"Oh don't be that way Tama," Kyoko said, her full lips drooping into a pout. "I came to say goodbye. I'm going to kidnap one of your friends so you'll have some company. Wouldn't you like some company?"

"I'd have company if you'd left Miaka here with me."

At the mention of Miaka's name, Kyoko's face turned an interesting shade of green. Tamahome would have laughed, if the situation hadn't been so serious.

"That little witch doesn't deserve you," she said, laying her head on his chest. "Only I do. I'm the one who followed you across the world, and you never noticed me."

"What are you talking about?" asked a bewildered Tamahome.

Kyoko looked up at him, startled, as if she'd said too much. For a moment her eyes looked from side to side as a deer would caught between two wildcats. She licked her lips nervously and shook her head. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Her eyes shot open and she looked up. Ger face had turned sweet again and Tamahome shuddered.

"I'll never drag you around like _she_ did. I'll never laugh at you when you ask me to marry you, and believe me, you will."

"How did you know–?"

Kyoko silenced him with a kiss.

"No more questions, beloved. I'll be back soon. Be a good boy."

With that, the woman dressed in purple vanished into the shadows. Tamahome tested the chains that held him. He knew it was futile, but he couldn't help it. All he wanted to do was make sure Miaka was alright. He'd only seen her for a short time when he'd first been brought here. He'd been delirious with memories from his past life. He'd had to sort out Tamahome, Taka, and Will in his brain. Through that fog, though, he'd seen a man in a blue Chinese shirt carry Miaka away. Another man that had looked vaguely familiar had tried to talk to him, but at the time Tamahome hadn't been able to figure out which of the six images floating before his eyes was the one trying to talk to him.

After a period of time, he wasn't sure if it was days or just hours, he'd fully regained the memories of his past lives. The important life of Tamahome, who had sealed his soul to the one woman he'd follow for all of eternity. The bewildering time as Taka, who loved Miaka, even though he didn't know why, and fought for her even when he believed that he wasn't Tamahome. Now, as Will, the gentle man who still loved Miaka even though she was Mia now and they were in America.

At some point he'd given up asking for them to release him and Miaka. He knew that they wouldn't listen. He was left alone a lot, except when _she_ came to tease him. But even that didn't happen often, and he was grateful for small blessings.

These new enemies seemed busy fighting the other Suzaku warriors. Tamahome was glad to know that the others were out there, hopefully looking for him and Miaka. But he'd had no time to contact them before he'd woken up, nor would he have known how if he had.

At times during the day, or night, he would compose himself and try to project his ki as much a possible in the hope that Chichiri or one of the other warriors would be able to sense him. But mostly he remembered.

The first two people he remembered were two friends who were as opposite as day and night. They came to his community karate lessons at the recreation center. As a black belt he recognized talent. Some came to his classes for self defense, and there were many older single women who constantly hit on him, but these two, they were really into it.

There was a tall girl with long red hair, and a glint in her eye that told people if they messed with her they'd be dead, who, now that he'd regained his memories, made him think of Tasuki. Another, a smaller quieter girl with blond hair and calm brown eyes, who looked so much like Chichiri it made his throat hurt. So close to his friends, if they were the seishi, and yet, so far away. He thought, with a smile, that itwould haveserved the woman-hating Tasuki right to be reborn as a woman. And as Tasuki's best friend, who better then to be as a woman beside him than Chichiri? Whoever they were, seishi or not, they had talent and spunk, the both of them.

He remembered meeting Mia, a sweet girl who could put away more food than a football blocker, yet never seemed to put on any weight. People often thought she was dense, but after he'd gotten to know her he saw the strength and intelligence that most overlooked. The happiest day of his life had been when she'd said yes when he'd asked her to marry him.

And what about Mitsukake, Chiriko, and Hotohori and Nuriko? He bet that Nuriko would be a woman, and hopefully, if Suzaku was kind, Nuriko would finally be able to love Hotohori. Then a horrific thought struck him, what if Hotohori was a woman too?

He missed Miaka. He missed everyone. Tamahome was really alone for the first time in any life. Staring into the darkness he decided to ask Miaka if they'd like to have kids in this life. Maybe look up the old Taka and Miaka's descendants sometime. That would be a real trip, but it might be fun for the heck of it. If they both made it out of here alive.

If.

* * *

Toshi stared at the woman lying in an alcove for the millionth time, a thousand thoughts running through his head at once. 

"So many years, my dear," he murmured softly, "so much time spent in preparation for this moment."

His fingers itched to touch her and though he knew it was futile, his hand moved of it's own accord. Almost immediately a red glow surrounded the woman and he snatched his hand back as if burned.

"Why?" he yelled, hitting the same hand on a nearby wall. "Why can't I touch her, after all this time? To have my heart ripped out time and time again because of one technical detail? Kyoko!" His voice was loud enough to deafen an elephant.

The purple clad woman stepped out of a shadow.

So. Spying on him again was she?

Kyoko bowed as a humble servant should, but Toshi new she was anything but.

"Yes, Toshi-sama?" she murmured.

"How are the preparations coming?" he lowered the volume on his voice, if only a little.

"Very well, my lord," Kyoko replied. "We should be completely ready to carry out your orders within the next few hours."

"Good." Toshi strode away from the alcove. He would have Miaka, he would! Not even a god could stop him. Not even Suzaku. Not anymore.

* * *

Tasuki paced the floor. In her battered and bruised state Chichiri thought this was hardly helpful, and said so. Tasuki only rewarded her caring statement with a glare that could have melted steel. 

"I just don't like waiting," Tasuki growled.

Nuriko mumbled something in her sleep and the three warriors hurriedly turned towards her. Nuriko only shifted a little and went on sleeping.

"I like waiting as much as you do at this point," Hotohori said, "but at least I don't wear out the carpet."

It took all Tasuki had not to jump on theformer Konan emperor.

Instead she grinned. "Yeah, but at least I wore sensible boots in my past life and not those little stilty shoes. And that little bucket hat, how on earth did you ever get all your hair in it? A shoehorn?"

Hotohori slid out from under Nuriko's head to take on Tasuki. Chichiri merely hid a smile. This had always been Tasuki's way of handling pressure. After Tamahome's family had been killed by Suboshi, Tasuki had managed to keep Tamahome sane by driving the poor warrior nuts.

"Those shoes,since you apparently missed this detail, made my figure more impressive," Hotohori said, his voice imperious. "And that hat, which your obvious lack of aesthetic taste missed, made my jaw line stand out and it made my eyes more prominent." Hotohori tossed his head in an all too familiar gesture.

Chichiri stuffed a fist in her mouth to keep from laughing aloud. A particular shine in Tasuki's eyes told her that the effect was the precise reaction that she'd been going for. Not one for being upset too long was Tasuki.

With a suddenness that had Tasuki in a battle stance and Hotohori reaching for a sword that wasn't there, the front door banged open and a little whirlwind entered.

"Julie!"the auburn-haired girlcalled, bouncing up the stairs two at a time, "I'm home, sorry it took me so..." her voice trailed off when she saw the four warriors. She shifted from foot to foot as she stared at each of them. Suddenly her face scrunched up and she burst into tears as she threw herself into the arms of a rather startled Tasuki.

"Tasuki!" she wailed. Tasuki bent down and gathered the small girl in a huge hug.

"Hiya kid," Tasuki said softly, "when'd you remember?"

"Just now," Chiriko said, as she pulled away. Hastily wiping at her streaming eyes she tried to smile. "It came back in a rush when I saw you the first time, but it didn't really click until Isaw you all just now."

"You have an impressive tackle squirt," Tasuki said kindly.

"Right," Chiriko giggled, and the angry, worried mood of the room vanished like mist in the sunlight.

"What's all the commotion?" Julie asked coming into the front room. Seeing Chiriko's tear streaked face she practically leaped in front of the small girland her face grew hard.

"What did you do to make Skyler cry?" she demanded of Tasuki.

The raised eyebrow on Tasuki's face told Chichiri that she was tired of being accused of making little kids cry.

"Julie, it wasn't them honest!" Chiriko said, "I've just had a rather difficult day today."

Julie turned and bent down, "Skyler, you can tell me. Don't worry I won't let people hurt you."

Tasuki threw her hands up in disgust and would have said something, but Chichiri beat her to it.

"I'm sorry, we were just so surprised when she came in," she said softly. "Your little, um, girl.."

"Sister-in-law, actually," Julie said calmly.

"Sister-in-law then, was upset when she walked in, I think we startled her."

Julie opened her mouth to make a reply, but the door banged open again.

_Quite the night for interruptions,_ Chichiri thought.

Mitsukake walked up the stairs, each footstep making him sound like a man full of confidence. When he saw the gathering in his living room his eyes flashed dangerously.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his bass voice filling the room. Tasuki took an instinctive step back, since she was the closest to Mitsukake.

Nuriko chose her moment to wake up and start to wail. Julie hustled Chiriko out of the room, despite the younger girl's protests, as Nuriko decided to start throwing things. Or at least try to. She managed to throw a pillow at a plant and knock it over before Chichiri, Tasuki and Hotohori tackled her and pinned her down.

"They aren't coming, the rock's still there," Nuriko cried, her voice going higher and higher, "I'm all alone. Miaka! Where is everyone? They left me to die! Stupid wolf!"

"Get her out of here now," Mitsukake yelled. "She'll upset Skyler."

"Look, we're not askin' ya to join us, ya great big lummox," Tasuki panted as she dodged one leg and held the other down. "Just fix her, and then we'll be out of your life. I promise."

Mitsukake looked at the ranting Nuriko with an interested eye. Hotohori and Chichiri could see the 'doctor' look spread over his face. Tasuki would have, but Nuriko managed to kick her across the room. Tasuki landed on the wall with a grunt, and then fell to the floor, out cold.

"Please," Chichiri pleaded.

Hotohori echoed her, his voice full of pain.

"You'll be out of my life?" Mitsukake asked. The two nodded. Mitsukake sighed a sigh from deep within and held out his left hand.

"Healing forces!"

* * *

She knew only darkness and cold. Her vision had gone just a short time ago, but the bitter cold still stung her raw nerves. 

_I hope I moved it_, she thought. _I have to make sure they can get in._

Something gnawed at the back of her mind.

**You're not going to die**, the voice said. **You already did. Now you have to live.**

"But I'm so tired," she said. "I fought as long as I could and now I just want to rest."

**They'll be sad. _He'll_ be sad. You don't want to make him cry do you?**

"Nuriko."

The voice was soft and distant, but she heard it. And recognized it.

"Hotohori?"

**He's here. They're all here. Are you going to leave them again?**

"They're the ones who left me last time," she said angrily.

Old memories flashed through her mind. The mountain. The snow. The demon in wolf shape. The fight, and the pain of impalement. And finally, being alone. All alone. Left to die. Alone.

**That's not right.**

"How would you know!" she shouted. "You weren't there!"

She could have sworn the voice smiled.

**But I was.**

"_Nuriko!"_

_An image swam into view. Two figures running toward her through the snow. One sported blue hair. The other, shorter one–_

"Who's that?"

**You know.**

She clutched her head. It was beginning to hurt. And a strange throbbing was growing in her right shoulder.

"Go away," she said.

**I thought you didn't want to be left alone.**

"Don't mock me!"

**I'm not mocking,** the voice said gently. **I'm trying to help.**

"Then help me by leaving."

"_Nuriko!"_

_The shorter one had auburn buns with pink ribbons. They were running toward her._

"_Nuriko!"_

The pain in her head grew, mimicking the pain in her shoulder.

"I don't want to hurt anymore. Why can't you just leave me alone."

**You must see the truth. You must help your friends.**

"I don't have any friends. They all left me to die alone."

Faces flashed past her mind's eye. Messy aqua bangs and the ogre symbol. Silvery-blue hair and a scar. Red hair and fangs. Bandannas and a healer's kind smile. Ponytail and intelligent but young eyes. Long chestnut hair, usually worn up, and eyes to melt the world. _His_ eyes.

"Hotohori."

She cried out in pain. Her head was determined to split in two.

**Yes,** the voice said through her pain.

"He wasn't there either," she said resentfully. The pain receded a bit.

**But you felt him. He was there in spirit.**

Despite the pain, she remembered the warmth of his presence. His anguish at her fatal wound.

**You weren't alone. He was there. And I was there.**

"Who are you?"

_Laughing green eyes. Bright smile. Auburn hair, worn in two buns._

**You know who I am.**

"Miaka."

The voice's smile was lost in the wave of pain that threatened to wash her over the edge into blackness. She struggled against it.

"I will win!" she cried. "I won't be beaten by some unseen enemy!"

Just as the wave was about to carry her away, a feeling of warmth started to spread through her. It started at her shoulder and spread outward. Visions again moved through her mind's eye.

"_Nuriko! You can't die!" Miaka cried._

"_Silly goose," the wounded warrior said. "This isn't going to kill me. I still have to watch out for you."_

_Moments later his body went limp in Tamahome's arms, and Miaka lost it. She ran away screaming that he wasn't dead. He couldn't be. He watched from a high vantage point as his friends gathered around and buried him. They said such nice things. He wanted to thank them._

**Go to them Nuriko. They're worried about you.**

"Miaka, where are you?"

The voice smiled again. **I'm safe for the time being. And I'm with Tamahome. Don't worry about me until you're better.**

Huge red wings sprang out of the darkness and enfolded her. She smiled as she sank into healing warmth.

"Look out world," she said with a smile. "Nuriko's back."

* * *

Toshi sat at his throne. He held a globe out in front of him and cursed. Somehow the Suzaku idiots had managed to convince Mitsukake to heal Nurikoof his curse. He saw the comradery between the four, and the close link between Chichiri and Chiriko. The youngest warrior seemed to have awakened, despite Toshi's efforts. 

"I was hoping Mitsukake would say no and then drive the seishi apart," he murmured softly. "I shall have to just redouble my efforts then." His eyes focused on Chiriko. "A nightmare for her would work wonders."The small warrior's face appeared in the globe before he winked it out.

"My lord?" Kyoko's voice came from a little ways off.

"What?" he snapped.

"We are ready." The satisfaction in her voice reminded him of a cat who had found her prey. Kyokowas practicallypurring.

"Fine."

Kyoko turned to go.

"Wait," Toshi said, "make sure that someone finds out what happened. I wouldn't want our move to go unnoticed."

Kyoko bowed, and Toshi wondered idly why she didn't fall out of her skimpy outfit.

"Your wish is my command, my lord."

And Toshi was left alone. Calling forth a globe he gazed into it again.

"You may have experienced pain before," he said, "but now you will experience it more then you ever thought possible."


	11. 10 Darkness and Water

**Darkness and Water**

Nuriko and Hotohori led the four seishi as they walked away from Mitsukake's house. Tasuki danced around them asking all kinds of questions and simply rejoicing that Nuriko was awake while Chichiri brought up the rear. Hotohori kept Nuriko's hand clasped in his own.

Chichiri thought back to their last few moments at Mitsukake's house. At first Mitsukake's healing power had seemed to do more harm than good. Nuriko had screamed as if she were in pain and Chichiri could have sworn that she was reliving the fight with Ashitare before the cave of the Genbu shinzahou. Her ki felt exactly the same as it had then. Then Nuriko simply went limp. Hotohori and Chichiri had almost dropped her because of the sudden dead weight. Tasuki had lain by the wall shaking her head, and looking at everything in a dazed manner.

Just when Mitsukake looked like he was going to faint from the sudden draining use of his power, Nuriko had whispered Miaka's name and opened her eyes. The green light of Mitsukake's power lingered around Nuriko like an aura. For a moment in that green light, Chichiri swore that she had seen Suzaku's wings wrap around Nuriko. When the light had vanished, Nuriko was healed, her wrists bearing her jeweled bracelets, her gift from Taiitsu-kun in her previous life.

As Mitsukake was ushering them out the door, Chichiri caught Chiriko's eye. She uttered a spell and saw Chiriko slip her hand inside her jeans pocket. The young warrior's eyes lit up and Chichiri nodded to her. Chiriko pulled out a small mirror, framed with red lacquered bamboo, and quickly looked from it to Chichiri. Chichiri pulled out it's companion and winked. Then both warriors slipped the mirrors back in their pockets. Chichiri now felt tired, and a little drained, simply from that small use of her powers.

_Everyone's getting all their powers back_, Chichiri thought, _so why are my abilities still lacking their old punch?_

Chichiri sighed and thought it time that she hunted down Taiitsu-ko and had a chat with the Guardian.

Tasuki looked back and noticed that Chichiri was falling behind.

"Hey, Chiri, what's up?" the red-head called.

Chichiri didn't show any signs of having heard her friend. Tasuki got a evil glint in her amber eyes and pulled her tessen out from under her long coat.

"Rekka–"

Chichiri flung up a barrier then glared at her friend. Tasuki just smiled and held the tessen against her shoulder in a rakish pose.

"Thought that would wake ya up," the former bandit said.

Chichiri let the barrier vanish, but kept glaring at her friend. Tasuki's grin faded and was replaced by a worried look.

"Hey, what did I do? I didn't really flame you, ya know." Tasuki started backing away from her friend. "Chichiri? Hey. Come off it. I didn't do it. Stop glaring at me!"

Chichiri's glare dissolved into a fit of giggles. It was Tasuki's turn to glare, but she ruined the effect by sticking out her tongue.

"What are you two doing?" asked Hotohori from where he and Nuriko had stopped a few paces ahead.

Tasuki walked to Chichiri and flung her arm, still holding the tessen, around Chichiri's neck and gave the former emperor a fanged grin.

"Thane and Chani, a.k.a. Tasuki and Chichiri, just doing what we do best. Driving each other nuts."

"That sounds about right," Nuriko laughed. "I'm glad you guys found each other again. It'd be a shame for such good friends to forget each other."

"Our thoughts exactly," Tasuki and Chichiri said in chorus.

"Chichiri, I don't mean to pry," Hotohori said, "but you've been quiet ever since we left Mitsukake's house."

Tasuki stepped back and put her tessen away. "Yeah. Not that she's ever talked much. Now or before. What's on your mind?"

"I've just been wondering about my powers. They don't seem to be as strong as they used to be."

Nuriko flexed her arms. "No need to worry. Nuriko is here."

"Great," said Tasuki. "In one life she's a cross-dresser who doesn't want to overdevelop his musculature, and in the next she's a woman who likes to flex her muscles." Tasuki laughed peal after peal of maniacal laughter. Nuriko let go of Hotohori's hand and advanced on the laughing bandit.

"You wanna make something of it fang-girl?"

Tasuki reached for her tessen. "Any time glamour girl."

Chichiri grabbed Tasuki's ear causing the younger girl to yelp.

"This is not the time nor the place," Hotohori said.

Tasuki grinned and rubbed her ear. "We were just kidding around, Your Highness."

"We should be focusing on Chichiri's problem, not playing games."

"It's not so much of a problem," Chichiri said. "I was actually thinking of trying to contact Taiitsu-ko to see if she had any advice."

"Good idea," Nuriko said. "Tasuki can go with you and Hotohori can take me home so I can get something to eat. I'm starving!"

"I was thinking of going by myself," the former monk said. "I need some time by myself anyway."

Tasuki looked a little hurt, but smiled quickly.

"Guess this means I'll be able to catch up on homework," the red-head said.

"I'll see you all later," said Chichiri as she started to walk away.

Tasuki nodded and waved to Nuriko and Hotohori as they started off toward the emperor's place of residence.

-------------------------------------------------

The four warriors were so wrapped up in their newfound happiness about Nuriko's return to health, and Chichiri so focused on her puzzlement, that no one noticed the two watchers, atop a building, standing in plain sight.

"This is too good to be true," Kyoko snickered. "I thought we'd have to fight all four of them for sure, but the idiots have split themselves up."

Yukio rolled his eyes. "Just get on with it already. We've wasted enough time as it is."

The purple clad woman shot her companion a glare.

"We'll just wait a little longer. Waiting always makes the prize so much sweeter."

"Whatever," said Yukio sulkily. His hand absentmindedly went up to his cheek, and he stroked the metal plate that covered the burned side of his face. "I just want to fight her, soon."

-------------------------------------------------

Chichiri sat on a bench outside the library. She'd hoped to find Taiitsu-ko there, but upon asking, the librarian on duty said that she'd never heard of a woman named Vanessa Mayfair. The mirror that Taiitsu-ko had given her at Uncle Max's house was gone and the sorceress didn't feel up to a summoning spell.

"Chichiri-sama looks depressed."

The blonde warrior nearly fell backwards off the bench as a Nyan Nyan suddenly appeared in front of her. The little girl hovered in front of Chichiri for a moment before landing on the bench next to the warrior.

"I'm not depressed," said Chichiri, "I'm frustrated. And I need to talk to Taiitsu-ko."

"That's why I'm here," the sprite said brightly.

"To take me to her?"

The Nyan Nyan shook her teal head. "Taiitsu-ko-sama has a lot to do as Guardian of this world, so she has Nyan Nyans watching the seishi in case they need help."

"So now that you know I need help, what are you going to do?"

The teal-haired sprite looked confused. "I'm going to tell Taiitsu-ko-sama that you need to talk to her."

Chichiri nodded and stared at the sprite, who stared back.

"Um, when?"

"When, what?" asked the Nyan Nyan.

"When are you going to tell Taiitsu-ko?"

"What am I telling Taiitsu-ko-sama?"

Chichiri took a deep breath and counted to ten. Then she said, "When are you going to tell Taiitsu-ko that I need to speak to her?"

"She already knows," said the sprite as if it were obvious.

This time Chichiri did fall off the bench.

"Nyan Nyan," called the blonde warrior from her place on the ground.

"Hai?" came the response.

"Come here so I can strangle you."

The little girl giggled nervously. "Taiitsu-ko-sama calls," the sprite said a second before she popped away to safety.

"Lucky little such-and-such," Chichiri muttered as she stood.

"You really shouldn't threaten them Chichiri-chan. They get distressed and then they don't work as efficiently," said a voice.

The blonde warrior got to her feet and found Taiitsu-ko, in her guise as Vanessa Mayfair, sitting on the bench. Chichiri sat on the bench and sighed.

"I wouldn't have done anything to her. I spent three years plus with the Nyan Nyans on Taikyoku-zan. I'm kinda fond of them."

The Guardian smiled. "They do tend to grow on a person don't they?"

Chichiri smiled and nodded. They sat in silence for a time– Chichiri gathering her thoughts, and Taiitsu-ko waiting.

"Something's been bothering me," Chichiri said, breaking the silence.

Taiitsu-ko waited for the warrior to continue.

"When I first used my power before I was fully awakened, I totally lost control. I blasted that shadow-man with everything I had at the moment."

"And what's wrong with defeating an enemy that threatens your life and the lives of your friends?" the Guardian asked.

"The last time I lost control, a friend died," Chichiri whispered.

Taiitsu-ko sighed. "I thought you'd gotten over that."

Chichiri looked at the other woman sharply. "I thought you'd understand."

Taiitsu-ko's face softened. "I do. You have to understand that you aren't the same person as Ri Houjun. You would have done things completely differently in his place. You would probably never have been in his place because of who you are."

"And that's supposed to offer me comfort?"

"Yes. You are not Ri Houjun. You are Channon Kousen. You were not engaged at eighteen, your best friend did not kiss your fiancee, and you did not try to exact revenge for a perceived wrong."

Chichiri nodded reluctantly.

"You are a very level-headed young woman. Houjun was too, but at the time of the incident his emotions were running high. In the end he realized what he'd done and tried to save Hikou. Not only that, but do you ever remember him losing control again? What happened when Mitsukake died?"

"Houjun got mad at the soldiers who were trying to fight again."

The Guardian nodded. "But did he let his anger go and blast the soldiers?"

"He couldn't," Chichiri said wryly. "His power were sealed at the time. But," Chichiri continued after a look from Taiitsu-ko, "he wouldn't have. He was older and wiser."

Taiitsu-ko smiled. "And so are you. Not only do you have your own experiences to rely on, you have his as well. Do not be afraid of your power. It doesn't rule you."

Chichiri nodded slowly, digesting what the Guardian had said.

"Thank you. I think that helped."

Taiitsu-ko smiled. "I'm glad. The Suzaku Shichiseishi are going to need all the power they can get to beat this foe."

"Do you know something that you're not telling us?" the blonde asked.

Taiitsu-ko merely stood and began to walk away. "I know that you and the other seishi will win. You've been tested and proven in other battles. But don't let that comfort you too much. Your enemy has also seen his share of victory."

With that the Guardian vanished. Chichiri sat alone for a while longer. She didn't really feel any different. Not any more powerful than she had been a moment before, yet there _was_ a difference. She closed her eyes and touched her prayer beads through her shirt. She could feel the life aura of all her friends. All except for Tamahome and Miaka.

Chichiri sighed in frustration. She stood and started walking. Just beyond the library was a park. Seeing as it was near sundown the peace of the park was undisturbed by boisterous people. Chichiri walked to her favorite spot, a wooden bridge overlooking a small stream.

_If only we could find Tamahome and Miaka_, Chichiri thought, _then we'd be assured a victory._

Chichiri sighed and slipped her hands into the pockets of her pants. Her right hand came into contact with a slim round object and she pulled it out. It was the red bamboo framed mirror, twin to the one Chiriko had. With a smile Chichiri activated the spell.

"Chiriko, can you hear me?"

Her image in the mirror wavered and was replaced by Chiriko's young smiling face.

"Chichiri! I've been waiting to hear from you."

"Gomen, Chiriko-chan. I've been busy. I'm glad to see that you got the other mirror."

Chiriko nodded. "That was a nice little teleportation spell you did."

"This way we'll be able to talk to each other, but I do feel a bit bad about doing this behind Mitsukake's back. Still, you are a seishi and should be informed of what's going on."

"Thanks Chichiri. I wish my brother saw things the way you do."

"He'll come around," Chichiri said. "He's a seishi too."

"I hope you're right. He can be so–"

The look on Chiriko's face was all the warning that Chichiri had. She started to turn only to have the mirror slapped from her grasp as rough hands seized her arms. She reached for the power of Suzaku that flowed through her and gasped when she encountered a barrier. Immediately she started looking for the barrier's weak spot, but she didn't have time to learn much before she was dodging a fist that was intent on sending her into unconsciousness.

Chichiri struggled against her captors. No matter ho hard she tried she couldn't maintain a grasp on her powers, so she used every dirty trick that Tasuki had taught her for brawling. She kicked and bit and scratched, but to no avail. Every time she broke free of one shadow-man another one appeared to restrain her. Finally, despite her seishi enhanced strength and endurance, Chichiri fell to her knees from sheer exhaustion. She heard clapping as two of the shadow-men lifted her to her feet. A woman dressed all in purple stood in front of the exhausted warrior.

"That was wonderful," cooed the woman. "I always thought that Tamahome was the fighter among you, but you held your own for a quite a long time. Now, though, you'll be coming with me."

The world lurched as the woman used a spell to transport herself and her captive to another dimension. The woman waved her hand and the shadow-men vanished. Bereft of their supporting hands Chichiri fell to the floor. Purple boots walked into Chichiri's field of vision and the woman knelt in front of her.

"Too bad Toshi-sama insisted that we keep a seal on your powers," said the woman as she lifted Chichiri's face to stare into her eyes. "I'd like to test myself against you."

"You're no match for her, Kyoko," said a cultured voice.

Kyoko stood and turned as a man stepped out of the shadows. Chichiri's eyes widened as she recognized him. The left side of his face was now covered in a metal mask, but there was no mistaking who it was.

"Yukio," the blonde warrior spat as she struggled to her knees.

The man smiled. "I'm glad to see that you remember me." His hand absentmindedly stroked his metal clad cheek.

Chichiri growled and, finding one last reserve of strength, launched herself at Kyoko. She rammed her fist into the woman's gut and then landed a kick to her face. Chichiri felt the seal on her powers slip and she cast a quick teleportation spell. She appeared a few yards behind the man and attempted to gather more power for a longer teleportation. The seal snapped back into place with a force that shocked Chichiri and strong arms went around her; one at her waist, the other at her neck.

"Like the shadow-men I, too, can use my shadow," said a silky voice in her ear.

The image of Yukio in front of Chichiri disappeared and the arm around her neck pressed against her windpipe cutting of her air. As the blonde's vision began to grey, Kyoko appeared in front of her. Blood dribbled from her split lip and she grinned maniacally.

"You really shouldn't have done that," said the woman just before she rammed her fist into Chichiri's face and the world went black.

-------------------------------------------------

_Where is that annoying monk? _Tasuki wondered.

Chichiri had parted ways with her friends around eight and now it was nearing eleven. Tasuki was starting to worry, seeing as Chichiri had never been a night owl.

"I guess I'd better go look for her," Tasuki said to herself as she grabbed her long coat from the closet.

-------------------------------------------------

Chichiri woke abruptly. She didn't know how long she'd been out, but she didn't see any enemies in her immediate vicinity. She tried to sit up and found that she was secured to a table of some kind. Mocking laughter filled her ears as Yukio came into sight.

"Struggle all you want pretty one, it will do no good."

Yukio raised an object into the light and Chichiri's eyes widened as she recognized a hypodermic syringe. The man smiled at her reaction.

"This is kodoku. It's ten times stronger than anything Nakago used." Yukio squeezed a drop from the syringe before continuing. "Once this is in your system there will be no hope of you ever returning to your normal self. I can only imagine the suffering that Tasuki will feel when you betray her." His voice seemed to burn when he mentioned Tasuki. Chichiri wondered, for a brief moment, if his hatred of Tasuki went further than the scarring of his face.

Her eyes stayed on his face, as Yukio slid the needle into a vein on Chichiri's arm. Almost immediately her body went numb and a lassitude swept through her. She tried, with what remained of her strength, to stay awake, to fight the drug.

"Don't fight it Chani," said a hypnotic voice that wasn't Yukio's. "Slip into sweet dreams, and when you wake, you will be one of us."

The voice continued to murmur, but Chichiri lost the ability to comprehend the words. Drifting in the gentle rhythm of the voice, she slipped into unconsciousness.

Toshi walked out of the shadows where he'd been watching the drama. He spoke the final words of the spell he'd been chanting and turned to Yukio.

"Well done," said Toshi.

Yukio bowed. "Thank you my lord."

Toshi walked to where Chichiri lay in drugged sleep. He brushed the bangs away from her forehead and smiled, almost kindly.

"You must remind me to thank Taiitsu-ko," he said to Yukio. "Thanks to her little pep talk this one has regained all of her awesome power. She will be a formidable tool."

-------------------------------------------------

"Damn," Tasuki muttered. "This can't be good."

The red-haired warrior had wandered around the town and finally ended up at the bridge in the park. She knew it was one of Chichiri's favorite spots, but there was no sign of the blonde. Tasuki set her arms on the railing of the bridge and stared into the silvery stream.

"If I were Chichiri, and I wasn't at my favorite spot, where would I be?"

"Kidnaped."

"Yeah, kidnaped is a possibility– hey who said that?"

Tasuki looked around the park. There was no one in sight, and yet she'd heard a distinct voice say 'kidnaped'. Tasuki pulled out her tessen.

"Who's there?" she called.

"It's me. Chiriko."

"Chiriko? Where are you?"

"I'm at home," came the response.

"If you're at home then how come I can hear you?"

"Chichiri enchanted a mirror so I could talk to her. I think the mirror is lying near a river. I can see water and rocks in the mirror."

Tasuki jumped over the railing and started looking along the banks of the stream.

"Keep talking Chiriko. I'll follow your voice."

"I'm right over here. By the water. You're on the wrong side of the water, cause I can see you. Keep coming. You're getting warmer, warmer. You're hot. I can see your boots."

Tasuki bent over and picked up the small hand mirror. The glass was slightly cracked from it's fall, but the enchantment still worked.

"So, Chiriko, how come you said Chichiri's been kidnaped?"

"I'll tell you," the young warrior said, "but I want to do it in person."

"Won't Mitsukake be mad if you come to see me?"

"I won't tell him."

"Chiriko," Tasuki said warningly, "he's your guardian. More importantly, he's your brother. You shouldn't hide things like this from him."

A small pout appeared on the young girl's face. "He was going to hide my identity as a seishi from me. This is a battle that we're all going to have to fight together. He'll come around, but until he does you need my help. Every warrior counts, just as they did before. You were the one who told me that. It was what gave me the courage to do then what I did. But now, I know I can fight. You have to give me a chance."

Tasuki sighed. The kid had a point. "Go get a paper and I'll give you my address."

-------------------------------------------------

The girl awoke to the feeling of a hand on her head. The hand stroked her hair and occasionally rested on her forehead. She stirred and the hand stopped.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake," said a gentle, deep, masculine voice.

She opened her eyes and saw a man sitting on her bed. He smiled and removed his hand and she thought he looked familiar.

"Tenkou-sama," the man said.

"What?"

"You were thinking that I looked familiar, and I've been told that I resemble Tenkou-sama."

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

The man laughed, a calming, musical sound.

"I could see the question on your face."

"Oh," said the girl thoughtfully. "Who are you and who was Tenkou-sama?"

"My name is Toshi. Tenkou-sama was our late master. He was defeated in a battle with our enemies."

A picture of a man filled the girl's mind. A man with long white hair and golden eyes dressed in a black robe with an ornate necklace around his neck. A scene flashed across her consciousness where the man was fighting a group of six men and a woman. She felt the hand on her head again and she focused on Toshi.

"Are you alright?"

The girl nodded. "I had a vision or a memory. I saw a man in black with white hair fighting against seven people."

Toshi nodded. "Those same people kidnaped you after they defeated Tenkou-sama. We've been trying to get you back for some time and now, finally, here you are."

The girl sighed and closed her eyes. "The only problem," she said softly, "is that I don't remember who I am."

Toshi took her hand and squeezed it.

"I can help you there. You are one of my elite generals. You are called Kurotatsu, the Dark Dragon, and Demon Lord of Water."


	12. 11 Pawn to Queen

**Pawn to Queen**

The sphere of red light glowed like a beacon in the darkness. The blackness that filled the place where the sphere had been cast was drawn to it, like a moth to the flame. Swirls of shadow competed with each other to move closer to the crimson orb. The globe of light, which pulsed like a heartbeat, spun around slowly, as if searching for something. Occasionally a golden bead of light glimmered before fading back into the sphere.

The globe dimmed as the shadows drew near, and the pulsating quickened, frightened. Suddenly, one particularly brave shadow leaped and swallowed the orb. There was a brief battle, a spectacular show of red-and-gold and darkness. Then the two called a truce, neither one winning, instead the globe and the shadow became part of each other.

The other shadows vanished leaving a glowing form that gradually took on a shape. A shape with arms, legs, a body and a head. A shadow that glowed slightly red.

-----------------------------------------------------

"So we can conclude that Chichiri's been captured by someone in purple," said Tasuki as she paced the floor.

Chiriko, Hotohori and Nuriko all sat in Nuriko's living room, and watched their red-headed friend wearing another hole in another floor. None of them were taking Chiriko's news very well.

"I saw it," Chiriko affirmed for the millionth time. She still felt inadequate around her fellow warriors. Why was she always the youngest?

"I know there's a guy with the white hair," Tasuki went on, mostly talking to herself. "I blasted half of his face away with my tessen when I first awakened." She fingered her weapon lovingly. She hadn't let go of it since her return from the bridge. "You're sure he was there too?"

Chiriko nodded emphatically. "I saw a glimpse of him as the mirror fell."

"Tamahome and Miaka are gone, but Nuriko says that Miaka is safe for the time being," Hotohori's calm voice interjected. "Chichiri's been taken captive, and Mitsukake, forgive me Chiriko, is being a bit hard to reason with right now."

"So it's up to us to win?" Nuriko's voice was pitched low from tiredness and worry. "We've never been separated this badly. Miaka's always been behind us, cheering us on."

"We're not helpless," Tasuki said as she stopped pacing, "but first we have to find out who is behind all of this. You can bet that my white haired friend, or Chiriko's purple clad female isn't in the lead. They don't seem the type. They seem a bit more like Renhou or Ashitare. The kind of people that follow orders, not give them."

"It seems we're going to need a bit of patience," Chiriko said.

"Patience," Tasuki said with a snort. "That was never my strong point." She sighed. "But I think Chiriko's right."

The three older warriors quickly decided that Hotohori would drive Chiriko home, with Nuriko as well, just in case Mitsukake decided to be unforgiving.

Tasuki went home and looked out her window at the night-time city.

"Where are you Chiri?" she softly whispered, her breath showing faintly on the glass as she spoke, a grey smudge over the lamp-lit view.

There was no answer.

-----------------------------------------------------

Tamahome was at the end of his rope. He could hear footsteps coming his direction, and gritted his teeth. If that woman came in one more time–

She hadn't molested him. . . yet. She'd only kissed once or twice and fawned over him and told him how much she loved him. She kept saying that when the fight was over they would be able to have a real life together, without Miaka in the way. She seemed far to confident for his liking.

The footsteps grew closer, but they weren't hers. They were hesitant, unsure. The footfalls stopped outside of his room.

"Who's there?" Tamahome called, keeping his voice low.

"Ta-ma?" It was a female voice he didn't recognize. "Ta-ma?"

Tamahome was puzzled. It was as if the speaker was not confident of her voice, or using it for the first time.

"Who is it?" he asked again.

A figure walked in, and Tamahome couldn't stop the surprised 'eep' that escaped his lips. It was a walking shadow. Female shaped and female sounding, to judge from the voice he'd heard.

"Ta-ma-ho-me?" it said, each syllable drawn out of the general area of it's mouth.

"Who are you?" he asked, curious now. The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"I. . . am. . . Channon," the shadow said, drawing the sentence out.

The name didn't sound familiar to Tamahome. The shadow seemed to lose its shape a little, shrinking in on itself. A moment later it regained its shape and the features were more distinct. A vague outline of eyes, and a nose and mouth. Something yellow and red was beginning to show around the shadow's neck.

"I am. . . Chichiri," the shape said, taking a step toward him.

"Impossible!" Tamahome cried, straining against his chains.

This _thing_ couldn't be Chichiri. Was this his enemy's way of mocking him? A bit of his old strength returned as he felt the familiar symbol flare on his forehead. Whatever had been blocking him from his powers, it was fading for the moment. He took the opportunity to use his power to strain against his shackles. He could feel the chains trembling and then one broke. His left arm, still in it's manacle, was now free! Though nearly exhausted, Tamahome pulled again and the other chain snapped. The shadow hadn't moved again. It merely stood watching, the shape of its head tilted to one side. It seemed to be thinking.

"You can't be Chichiri!" Tamahome said forcefully.

An image flashed in his mind, of two girls in his karate class. One red-headed and the other blonde.

The shadow moved toward him and he shrank back against the obsidian block he'd been chained to. The shadow reached out and touched his arm. Tamahome recoiled, as a thousand scenes and thoughts and feelings raced through his head. He could hear a woman's scream as she was torn away from everything familiar to her. The terrifying fear of being alone and having no way to escape. No way of letting anyone know. Then darkness. A struggle for survival and a renewal.

Tamahome blinked and watched in horrified fascination as the shadow take proper form. First the face appeared, the one the blonde girl had worn. Then blonde hair grew until it hit her mid-back. In shock, Tamahome watched as the girl seemed to form herself out of his memory, right down to the karate uniform. She looked down at herself as if judging her appearance.

There was something that caught his eye that wasn't from his memory. A red and yellow necklace with a golden medallion circled her neck. It wasn't Chichiri's though. Tamahome distinctly remembered it as Tasuki's.

"What, what's going on?" Tamahome asked weakly.

"I, I have a body," the figure before him said incredulously as she looked down at herself. Her hands flew to her face. "I have a face! And sensation."

She slapped her face with both hands and smiled. She looked down at her clothing and frowned. A look of concentration came over her face and her uniform shimmered becoming a more practical jeans and a tee-shirt, complete with shoes. Tamahome noticed the necklace stayed around her neck.

"Tamahome," she said, looking sternly at him, "stop looking like you're going to puke or strangle me."

Tamahome ground his teeth. "You can't be Chichiri!" he burst out.

"I am not Chichiri, and yet I am Chichiri," she said.

"How can that be?" he asked.

"Do you remember the time when you were Taka and all the Tamahome parts of you were taken away? This is something similar," Chichiri said, "only I am aware of it. I think Toshi meant to completely destroy this part of me, but it seems a shadow person was attracted to me in my state of formlessness. I've been given a chance to reclaim what was taken from me."

"What?" Tamahome felt stupid. And yet at the same time, he was feeling panicked. He wanted to find Miaka and get away before that, that woman came back.

"My body Tamahome," Chichiri smiled. "My body was taken away. I don't know what's happened to it."

"I. . . I want to help you." He found to his surprise that he did. The brief flash of memory that he'd seen when she'd first touched him was beginning to make sense. "Can we find Miaka first?" Tamahome asked faintly. He just wanted to see her.

Chichiri nodded sensing that she wasn't going to get much more from him at that moment. He seemed dazed.

"What's her name in this life?" Chichiri asked kindly. She touched the manacles on his wrists and they fell away. She turned and began walking out of the room. Tamahome followed.

"Mia."

Chichiri stopped and looked down the corridor. After a moment she gestured to her companion, who followed her.

"What's yours?"

"Will."

"I'm Channon, or Chani," she whispered.

The two silently sped towards, well Tamahome didn't know what. He was following blindly.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Towards Miaka," Chichiri said, sounding surprised that he didn't know.

"You can sense her?"

"Despite my lack of body, I seem to have a great deal of my old powers," she said. "I can feel her."

Tamahome wished he'd been better at the ki stuff. No matter what life he'd been in though, he had always been able to feel Miaka's presence. Reaching out with his heart, sure enough, his wife was ahead. And so was someone else. Someone he recognized from before.

"Stop."

Chichiri turned and looked at him.

"Get us out of here," Tamahome swallowed, "we can't get to her."

"Wha-," Chichiri started when a noise interrupted them both. The two spun around to look behind and found Kyoko there, her face a contorted picture of rage.

"How dare you!" she screamed. "How dare you try to leave!"

Tamahome summoned what he had of his powers and began to gather a ki ball. He'd never wanted to use his powers against a woman. But this particular woman had ticked him off enough to make using them against her seem right. Chichiri, however, grabbed hold of his arm and yanked him painfully into a nearby shadow. Tamahome had the curious sensation of melting as his body began to sink into the darkness, and before it went completely black, he heard Kyoko scream in frustration.

-----------------------------------------------------

It was like being two people at once. For a second she was standing in a dark hallway, a strange yet familiar man at her side. Then the feeling of melting, and the strange double sensation was gone. Kurotatsu shook her head as something tickled in her brain then disappeared. Something was missing, and even Toshi-sama couldn't hide that from her fully.

She stood on top of a rather large, and foolishly ornate building. Her black mid-calf boots rested on the stone ledge beside an ugly gargoyle. Her white pants were tucked inside them, and her long blue tunic's ends played tap on her boots. Her shirt was belted with a black band of leather. Her collar rose to cover the lower part of her neck, her arms were bare, except for two wide black leather bracelets studded with blue stones around her wrists.

Kurotatsu sighed. It had taken all she'd had just to wheedle one visit to her adversary's home out of Toshi-sama. She wanted to let her enemies know she wasn't to be taken lightly anymore. Especially her main enemy. The one who'd taken her away in the first place.

Soon all of the Suzaku seishi would know that she had awakened to herself again, and this time she wouldn't be kidnaped, or brainwashed. She'd prove to them that she was a force to be reckoned with.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Tama," a small voice called. "Tamahome, wake up."

Tamahome opened his eyes. He was lying underneath a large tree looking up into the sun drenched foliage. A head appeared in his view, and familiar mahogany eyes were looking at him. How many times had Chichiri helped him after he'd been injured? He'd lost count.

Chichiri! Just thinking that name made him sit up. If she hadn't dodged, Tamahome probably would have smacked the girl in the chin with his forehead.

"Miaka!" he said aloud. He heard a few snickers and turned to find himself in the middle of the University's campus. How on earth had he gotten there?

"Tama, be quiet," Chichiri said softly, "and call me Chani. There might be a few students who recognize me here. I'll call you Will, too."

She helped him up from where he was under the tree.

"How'd we get here?" Tamahome asked as they walked towards the dorms.

"I'm not sure," Chichiri said musingly. "We had to get away, and for some reason I was able to–" She stopped and grabbed his arm as a realization hit her. "I am a shadow-person, and therefore I have their abilities! I can transport myself from shadow to shadow, without using ki!"

"Speaking of ki, Chani," Tamahome said, "I can't sense you. You don't feel like Chichiri at all." He ignored a couple of strange stares two people gave him as they passed.

"That's the thing, I'm not totally Chichiri," Chichiri said. "I am, perhaps, the essence of Chichiri."

Tamahome grimaced. "That sounds like taking vanilla extract out of your spice cabinet. But you can't do that to people," he protested.

"Tamahome, didn't Shakespeare say it best when he said, 'There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, that even you have dreamed of?'" Chichiri asked. "The mere fact that we exist as Warriors of Suzaku in this world is proof of that."

"I guess."

"Look, the others are in class right now, if that's the nine-thirty bell I'm hearing from the clock tower," Chichiri said. "It'll be a while before they get done fo the day. We can wait for them in my dorm."

"How are you going to explain all of this to everybody else?" Tamahome asked. "How am I going to explain what I sensed before we left that. . . place?"

"What you sensed?" This time Chichiri was a bit surprised. But then, her powers weren't quite what they were when she'd had her own body.

"Well, it was right before we left," Tamahome explained, "and there it was, this old feeling I knew from before, when I was Tamahome and not Taka yet. I don't understand it but–"

-----------------------------------------------------

Math. If there was any class that could ruin a day it would be math. And of course this particular class would be at nine-thirty in the morning, Tasuki reflected, when any decent person should still be in bed, asleep.

Besides being incredibly sleepy, Tasuki was also late. She'd stayed up most of the night, using her speed to run all over the city looking for any clues as to where her missing best friend might be. Caught up in her reverie she stepped in a puddle before she even noticed it was there.

"Ew. That had better not be from the bathroom," she said, in a momentary fit of uncharacteristic girly-ness, and stopped. The bathroom was down the hallway and around a corner. How could water get out and then all the way down here?

Tasuki looked at the puddle and saw that it was in fact a stream. And it was coming from her classroom. What the?

"Oh no," she said aloud. She burst through the door to her classroom and found more or less what she was expecting. Trouble.

The students, teacher, and any loose objects from the floor were pinned against the walls by living currents of water. As Tasuki stared at her new opponent her heart sank. Staring back with eyes of blue ice, a woman floated in the center of the room. Blond hair and the perfect outfit for a water demon, she was in every way fit for the part except for one thing. Tasuki stared into the face of her best friend, Chichiri!

"Chichiri?" she gasped, to stunned by the display of power to use their names from this life.

"I am not called by that name, traitor!" the woman's voice was pitched lower than Chichiri's and Tasuki found herself struggling to believe that it really was her best friend. Was she under a spell?

"Traitor?" Tasuki repeated. She seemed limited to one word sentences.

"I am Kurotatsu, restored again by Toshi-sama to my memory and my life," the woman, Kurotatsu, spat. "I am here to present you with a challenge. A combat between you, the one who took me from my life, and myself, the Lord of Water."

Tasuki struggled against a surge of emotions. She wanted to whip out her tessen and blast away this clone of her best friend. She wanted somebody to tell her it was a bad dream. But she knew that neither were possible. This was like when she'd had to fight Tamahome when he'd been under the influence of kodoku. But back then Tamahome had been weak. Well weaker than he should have been. This woman, she seemed even stronger than Chichiri!

"When?" she croaked out.

"In two days time," Kurotatsu spoke above the rushing water.

"How will I find you?" Tasuki shouted, finally coming back to herself.

"Dawn, at the large field I saw." The woman pointed in the direction of the track where Tasuki and Chichiri held their occasional races.

It was strange to have almost a normal conversation with her enemy, but that's what Tasuki felt was going on.

"I agree."

Suddenly all the water was gone. Kurotatsu floated to the ground, and stepped closer to Tasuki. The red-head found it a little strange to be threatened by a person shorter than her.

"You will die this time," Kurotatsu said in a soft and very dangerous voice. Tasuki grabbed her arm.

"If you are not Chichiri, tell me what you did with her," she replied in the same dangerous tones.

"I do not know of whom you speak, now unhand me before I decide to fight you here and now!" Kurotatsu hissed.

Looking into the blue eyes of her assailant Tasuki decided to drop the matter. But she had a good idea as to what happened. Plus, she had the name of the guy who was running the show.

Tasuki dropped her hand from Kurotatsu's arm. The Lord of Water, with a haughty snort, left the math room. Seconds later, Tasuki left, headed for the dorms.

-----------------------------------------------------

Chiriko was home early from school. For the past few days she'd been having terrible nightmares interspersed with dreams about a girl she felt she should recognize, but was only able to see from behind. She couldn't seem to remember more than the girl and an overwhelming sense of foreboding whenever she woke up, but she felt it was important.

Nothing had gone right that day. She couldn't focus on her schoolwork, something completely unusual for her, and her teachers had even had to call her name a few times to get her attention. Finally her history teacher had sent her home and told her to get some rest. Chiriko was glad that Mitsukake wasn't home. It was his week for early shifts at the hospital, and she didn't want to explain her early arrival to him. Julie was out with some of her friends. Dropping her books and bag down by the door, Chiriko flopped onto her bed with a groan.

"I don't remember that being a seishi was this hard in my last life," she muttered into her pillow.

"Chiriko?" a voice called.

Chiriko sat up and looked around her room. There was no one there.

"Chiriko, you there? I need to talk to ya."

"Tasuki!" Chiriko said happily as she went to her desk and retrieved the mirror that Chichiri had given her.

She picked up the mirror and saw Tasuki, who looked worried.

"Hey kiddo," the fiery-haired seishi said. "I've got something to tell everyone, so come on over to my place as soon as ya can. Bring Mitsukake too if you can convince him."

"What happened?" Chiriko asked.

Tasuki shook her head. "I don't want to say it more than once. Just get over here fast."

"I'll take my bike," the youngest warrior said. "Oh, where do you live again? I don't seem to remember right now."

Tasuki gave Chiriko the address and they said goodbye. Chiriko glanced at the clock. It was only nine fifty. Mitsukake wouldn't be back from the hospital for hours yet. She decided to leave him a note. She scribbled hastily on a piece of paper and put it under the mirror so only part of it stuck out. Then she ran down the stairs to get her bike from the garage.

-----------------------------------------------------

Mitsukake pulled into the driveway and rushed into the house. He'd gotten a call from Chiriko's history teacher saying that his sister had been sent home on account of her not feeling well. Mitsukake had immediately told his supervisor what was going on and received permission to go home and make sure that Chiriko was alright.

He took the stairs to Chiriko's room two at a time and then took a moment outside her door to compose himself. He knocked quietly and received no answer. He opened the door and looked into the room. It was empty. His heart began to race. Where was she? Had she not made it home? Her school was only a few blocks from the house. Mitsukake noticed Chiriko's backpack near the bed with a pile of books. She had made it home after all.

He moved to the desk near the window. He was looking for a note or some clue as to where she had gone. He saw a mirror with a piece of paper tucked underneath it. The mirror looked old, and upon further inspection, was framed with painted bamboo. He moved the mirror and focused on the paper.

Mitsukake,

I remember my life as a Suzaku warrior and I'm going to be part of this battle. I don't want you to worry about me. Tasuki says she has something to tell all of us so I'm going over to her place. I'll tell you everything when I see you at dinner.

Tasuki  
Magrun Hall #7  
1350 College Avenue

This is where I am. Please don't be mad.

Love,  
Chiriko

Mitsukake crumpled the note in his hand and headed back to his car. He would drive over there and get his sister before she could be drawn any further into the danger that surrounded the Suzaku warriors.

"I won't let her be hurt again," he vowed.

Gunning his car out of the driveway he headed toward the university campus.

-----------------------------------------------------

Tasuki's shoes and lower pant-legs were wet and therefore she made a squishing sound as she walked. Other students gave her odd side-glances but she never saw them. The only thing on her mind was that Chichiri was evil, the new leader guy was named Lord Toshi, and the new 'Chichiri' was called Kurotatsu. This day could not possibly get any worse.

Tramping up the steps to her door she noticed that the light was on. She'd turned off the living room light when she left. She had to, otherwise the dorm 'mother' would report them for wasting energy in the middle of the day. Tasuki never understood why, it wasn't like there was a shortage of electricity or something, she just did it to avoid the icky fits that would fly at her.

As she got closer she heard two voices coming from the room. One female, one male. Assuming it was Hotohori and Nuriko she opened the door. The people sitting on her couch weren't Alan and Takeo.


	13. 12 Enter the Water Lord, Kurotatsu

**Enter the Water Lord, Kurotatsu**

"Tamahome?" Tasuki said, obviously bewildered.

A rather battered, half naked Tamahome nodded sheepishly from his seat on the couch.

"And I guess you have no greeting for me?" asked the female figure.

Tasuki stared for a moment. There was something very familiar about the girl, but something very wrong too. Then Tasuki got it. The girl was giving off the aura that the shadow men did. Then Tasuki got a worse shock. This shadow person looked like Chichiri. For a moment she was torn by indecision. She wanted to be happy that her friend was back, and yet she needed to know why Chichiri had the strange aura.

"Tama, move away from her," Tasuki said as she pulled her tessen out. "That's not Chichiri."

"This is Chichiri. She helped me escape from our enemy's lair," Tamahome said.

Tasuki brandished her tessen and Tamahome moved between the red-head and the blonde.

"It must have been a ruse," Tasuki said. "She's a shadow person."

"I know what she is–"

"So you don't deny that she's a shadow person?"

"–but she helped me. I'm sure that this is Chichiri. I'd bet my life on it."

Tasuki wavered and the tessen lowered. Chichiri stepped out from behind Tamahome and Tasuki caught sight of the necklace that she wore. She looked into the other girl's eyes and saw what she always saw in Chichiri. Strength, wisdom, mirth, and a myriad of other things. She placed the tessen back into its sheath and perched on the arm of the couch.

"It is you."

Chichiri nodded. "It's a long story–" she began.

There was a pounding at the door that startled everyone.

"Apparently it's a story that will have to wait, no da," Chichiri said, with a smile.

"Thane!" yelled the person on the other side of the door as they began to pound again.

"Tama, go hide in the bathroom until this is over. It won't look good having you here in your current state."

Tamahome didn't argue. He just moved toward the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Tasuki opened the door and dodged the fist that came flying at her.

"Sorry, I was going to knock–" the voice trailed off. "YOU!"

------------------------------------------------------

Kurotatsu appeared in one of the many waiting rooms in Lord Toshi's castle. Both Yukio and Kyoko looked up at her sudden arrival. The dark dragon barely acknowledged the other two as she made for the doorway.

"What's got you in such a huff?" asked Kyoko.

Kurotatsu ignored the purple clad woman. She strode out of the room and walked toward Toshi's throne room. She was displeased with the familiarity that Toshi's two minions showed toward her. They acted as if they had known her for a long time, but she didn't remember them having served under Lord Tenkou. She couldn't recall having ever seen them before Toshi introduced them. Kurotatsu strode into the throne room and made a quick bow to Toshi.

"What do you want?" Toshi asked mildly.

Kurotatsu made a water replica of Tasuki.

"Who is this woman? Why did I call her a traitor? Why can't I remember more?"

Toshi rose from his throne and walked to her side. He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't fret my dear. I'm sure that it will all come back to you in time. You just need to relax and let things flow."

Kurotatsu nodded, not pleased with the answer. Toshi smiled at her and released her. With a small bow the water demon turned and walked from the room. She moved quickly through the corridors of Toshi's palace to her chamber. Once inside she felt much better. The room was decorated with silk in varying shades of blue, all hung to give the appearance of waves.

Kurotatsu shucked her clothing and flung herself down on the large bed that dominated the room. She tried to still her mind and found she could do it easily. Then she just let her mind float. She gave it no direction and let memories flow.

The first thing that came to her was a picture of her with the red-headed girl. Tasuki, she thought the girl's name was. Kurotatsu felt that they had been friends, or at least acquaintances, once upon a time. They hadn't served under Lord Tenkou together, but she got the feeling that they'd known each other before that. And then Tasuki had failed her in some way.

Kurotatsu opened her eyes and sat up. Now she knew why she had to fight Tasuki. They had known each other and then Tasuki had failed her, betrayed her. She didn't recall the particulars, and she didn't need to. Kurotatsu also recalled Tasuki had fought against Lord Tenkou.

"I will destroy her," Kurotatsu said. "For Tenkou-sama. And Toshi-sama."

------------------------------------------------------

Tasuki backed up quickly as an angry looking Mitsukake stalked into the dorm room.

"Where's Skyler?" the doctor demanded.

"She's not here," said Chichiri.

"How should I know?" asked Tasuki at the same time.

The two threw a quick glance and smile at each other.

"What do you mean 'how should you know'? I found your address in her room with a note saying she'd be here. She's been sneaking out to see you hasn't she?"

Tasuki looked at the irate doctor in consternation. "She came to see me once, but that was an emergency. I told her that she had to tell you cause you're her brother."

That seemed to calm Mitsukake a bit, but it was clear that he was still agitated.

"One of Skyler's teachers called me today saying that she'd been sent home. I went home to tell Skyler–"

"Chiriko," Tasuki interjected.

"_Skyler_," Mitsukake emphasized, "that she should rest, but–"

"Mitsukake!"

The dark-haired man looked stunned as he was suddenly swept off his feet by the two delicate arms that encircled his waist.

"I knew you'd come around," said a happy voice that Tasuki and Chichiri recognized as Nuriko's.

"Nuriko, dear, perhaps you should set Mitsukake on his feet," came Hotohori's voice from behind Nuriko. The petite woman placed the stunned doctor back on his feet, revealing Hotohori standing in the doorway.

"The door was open so we came in," the former emperor said by way of explanation.

"Glad you could come," said Tasuki, who was happy to have Mitsukake's attention off her.

Before anyone else could say anything, there came the sound of the bathroom door being unlocked and opened. In a flash, Tasuki darted into her room, grabbed a shirt, and raced to the bathroom.

"You'd better put this on before you come out," Tasuki said, thrusting her hand through the partially open door.

Tamahome walked into the living room a few seconds later with Tasuki's shirt on. It was a little tight, but no one seemed to notice.

"Tama!" Nuriko shouted as she grabbed the dark-haired warrior in a bone breaking hug.

"Be gentle with him Nuriko, no da," said Chichiri. "He's been through a lot."

Nuriko released Tamahome and he immediately sat down hard on the floor. Mitsukake was quickly at his side.

"He's dehydrated and in need of food," the doctor said. "And he has some bruises and abrasions which I can take care of."

Mitsukake held out his left hand and his symbol began to glow. After a few seconds the green glow faded and Chichiri held out the glass of water that she'd gotten from the kitchen.

"Sorry I didn't think about that earlier Tamahome," the blonde said.

"It's all right Chichiri," Tamahome said. "I'm just glad you found me and got me free."

"Where were you?" asked Hotohori.

"Food first please," said the tired warrior.

Nuriko smiled. "That's the reason that we came over here. It's early, but Hotohori and I didn't feel like going to any classes, since Chichiri had disappeared, and so we. . ." Nuriko trailed off as it dawned on her that Chichiri was standing next to Tamahome. The dark-haired warrior's eyes filled with tears. "Chichiri."

The blonde warrior smiled and endured a hug from Nuriko. "Hey."

"Let's go get food," Tasuki said. "There's a lot we have to tell each other."

Hotohori nodded. "We were coming to get Tasuki to take her to lunch."

"I don't have any money on me," said Tamahome.

"I'll cover for ya," said Tasuki. "It's a bit cramped in here anyway."

"I'm not going anywhere until I find Skyler," Mitsukake said heatedly, coming back to his original argument.

"I'm right here, Jason," came a timid voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned to see Chiriko standing just outside the door to the dorm room. Mitsukake rose to his feet and stalked toward the young girl.

"We're going home," he said as he none-too-gently grabbed her arm.

She pulled away and glared at the big man.

"No! I'm a Suzaku warrior and I _will_ be a part of this!"

Mitsukake looked as if he'd been slapped. Chiriko took a breath and continued in a milder tone of voice.

"I love you Jason. You're my brother and in most cases I'd listen to you. But not in this. I know how much you want to protect me. I remember what happened in my last life. I don't feel that I made much of a difference when we fought the Seiryuu Seven, but I want to change that now. I'm more prepared to fight and I want to be able to do so."

"But Skyler–"

"I'm Chiriko," she said holding her head high, "of the Suzaku Seven."

Mitsukake went to one knee, worry plain on his face. "I just didn't want to see you get hurt. I don't want you to die."

Chiriko hugged her brother. "I won't. With you, and the others, looking out for me I know I'll be all right. But I need to do this."

She looked at her brother with pleading eyes. Mitsukake smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Who am I to tell you not to protect your friends?"

"Thank you so much!" Chiriko squealed.

The other warriors gathered around and showed their support for the two siblings.

"I believe someone mentioned food–" Tamahome said with a sheepish grin.

Two hours, and a few Big Mac's later, the Suzaku Seven had effectively been filled in on Tamahome's kidnaping, torture, and rescue. They had ordered their food to go and then retired to a nearby park to enjoy the semi-quiet. In the case of Chichiri's 'reappearance', details were sketchy. The blonde had told them all she knew, and unfortunately that wasn't much. She'd kept from them the fact that she was now a shadow person though, and Tasuki hadn't mentioned anything about Kurotatsu.

"Are you not going to eat anything?" Hotohori asked Chichiri when he noticed that she hadn't touch any of the food.

Hotohori, the next best at sensing ki, after herself and Tamahome, had probably picked up on the fact that she wasn't wholly herself.

The blonde shook her head. "I'm not really hungry."

"You should keep up your stren–"

The former emperor was cut off mid-word as a green ki ball slammed into his chest. He flew back several feet and lay still where he fell. Mitsukake rushed to his side, followed closely by Nuriko and Chichiri. Tasuki stood and drew her tessen as Tamahome took a fighter's crouch in front of Chiriko.

"Up here Suzaku warriors," came a voice.

Everyone looked up at the two figures atop a nearby telephone pole. The woman was dressed all in purple. Her companion was a man, whose left side of his face was covered by a metal mask.

"It's Yukio," Tasuki spat.

"And Kyoko," said Tamahome with a suppressed shudder.

"Oh, it looks like they remember us." Kyoko smiled. "All the little seishi together in one place."

"That makes our job easier," Yukio said.

Kyoko formed two ki balls, one in each hand, and flung them at the Suzaku warriors. Chichiri formed a barrier around herself, Hotohori, Chiriko, and Mitsukake as Tamahome and Nuriko went after the woman in purple.

Yukio ignored the other seishi and concentrated on Tasuki. He seemed to take great delight in turning Tasuki's fire attacks away with his wind power.

"Come Tasuki-chan," the white-haired man taunted. "We have so much to catch up on."

"What the hell are you going on about?" the flame-haired warrior shouted. She was trying to dodge Yukio's air attacks, but it was hard to dodge what she couldn't see.

Tasuki cursed again as one of Yukio's attacks laid her cheek open and another ripped a hole through her pants to slice her leg.

"Rekka Shinen!" Tasuki yelled.

The attack seemed to be headed for its target. At the last second, however, the flames turned and dove into the group battling Kyoko.

"Tasuki, watch where you're fire's going!" yelled Nuriko.

"I'm tryin'," the red-head yelled back.

Nuriko grunted noncommittally. "Tama may be used to being toasted by you, but I'm not."

She turned her attention back the purple clad bimbo she and Tamahome were trying to fight. The aforementioned bimbo was jumping all over the near vicinity and laughing maniacally while throwing green ki attacks.

"Tamahome, my love," the woman cooed, "now you shall feel the wrath of a scorned woman."

"Stop bouncing around, you hentai chick, and fight us," cried Nuriko.

Nuriko quite suddenly found herself nose-to-nose with Kyoko.

"I might have chosen you had I not seen my dear Tamahome first," the woman said. "Your violet hair was so like my own. We would have made a great couple."

Nuriko gave voice to one of her unforgettable screams and activated her gauntlets then swung at the dazed woman. The punch connected and Kyoko went sailing through the air. With a crunch she impacted with the trunk of a tree and slid down it to lay still on the ground.

"Wow, Nuriko," said Tamahome, "I think you killed her."

"We could only be so lucky," the petite woman growled.

The two warriors turned to see how Tasuki was faring with her opponent.

"Die already!" Tasuki shouted as another of her flame attacks was diverted from its intended target.

"Not this time Tasuki-chan," Yukio laughed. "I'm not dying until you do first."

"Cut the crap. And stop calling me 'chan'!"

"Perhaps you'd prefer Tasuki-_kun_, eh nii-san?"

Tasuki was stunned. Something about the way Yukio had said 'nii-san' sparked off a memory. It was a brief glimpse of a boy's youthful face. He was no older than fifteen with dark brown hair and the look of hero-worship in his eyes.

"_Tasuki nii-san," the boy pleaded. "Let me come this time. Onegai, Tasuki nii-san."_

_Tasuki reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. _

"_Maybe next time gaki," the bandit said._

"_Demo–"_

"_Ya heard wha' the boss said," Kouji said as he strode up. "Next time."_

Tasuki was so shocked by the memory that she didn't even try to defend against the next series of attacks. As the wind came whistling toward her something slammed into her knocking her out of the path of the attacks.

"You okay?" Chichiri asked as she helped Tasuki stand.

The red-head nodded and watched as a newly recovered Hotohori went after Yukio with his holy sword.

"We've got to get him out of commission, and fast," Tasuki said. "But I don't want to kill him. I think he's someone from my past life on Mt. Reikaku."

Chichiri nodded and grasped the red and yellow necklace that hung around her neck. She uttered a short cantrip and Yukio froze in place.

"Hotohori, knock him out," Chichiri yelled. "I've frozen him."

Hotohori nodded and sent Yukio to join Kyoko in the world of unconsciousness.

"Are you hurt?" asked Mitsukake as he and the other warriors gathered around Tasuki and Chichiri.

Tasuki shook her head. "Naw. It takes more than that to get me down and out."

Nuriko cracked her knuckles. "What say we wake those two up and get them to tell us who they're working for?"

"I know who they're working for," said Tamahome.

The group turned to look at him, but he never got a chance to say anything. Chichiri barely had time to erect a barrier around herself before the attack hit. She grimaced at the cries of pain that her fellow seishi gave as deadly streams of water wrapped around them and began to squeeze. Chichiri turned a complete circle looking for the source of the attack. As she faced front again the air shimmered and a familiar figure appeared.

"Looking for me, little warrior?" Kurotatsu asked.

Chichiri didn't answer. Instead she let her barrier vanish and flung her hands out at the water warrior. Red energy struck Kurotatsu in the stomach and sent her flying.

"I don't recall you being invited to this fight," Chichiri said coldly.

"Chiri," came Tasuki's pained voice.

The blonde warrior turned and was grateful to see that her friends were now free from the constricting water.

"I'm glad you guys are all right–" the sorceress began. She stopped as pain ripped through her right arm. She stared in fascination as the lower part of her arm went spinning off to one side, turning into a blob of shadow as it did. Chichiri began to turn to face her enemy and bring up a barrier at the same time. She did neither action quickly enough.

Pain shot through her midsection and her right shoulder. By the look of horror on Tasuki's face, Chichiri knew the damage was bad. She managed to stay upright and turn to face her opponent. Kurotatsu had recovered quickly and was grinning maliciously at Chichiri. She raised her hand and launched another attack that took off Chichiri's left leg above the knee. The blonde warrior fell to the ground clutching the necklace she wore. She closed her eyes and chanted rapidly under her breath.

"You look like me," Kurotatsu said to the fallen warrior. "I'd ask you why, but I hate impersonators. Disappear!"

"Chichiri!" Tasuki called. "Chichiri, talk to me!"

Chichiri worked furiously as Kurotatsu readied another attack. She pulled all the available shadows to where she and her friends lay and opened a gateway. Just as her friends started to sink into the shadow, Kurotatsu released her attack. The sorceress put the last of her energy into a shield, giving her friends time to sink into the shadow gateway. Kurotatsu's attack exploded against the shield, a shield that Chichiri was not inside of.

"Chichiri!" screamed Tasuki.

Before the shadow swallowed her, the red-head looked frantically for Chichiri. There was no sign of the blonde warrior. The gateway closed over Tasuki's head and the world went black.


	14. 13 Grief and Hope

**Grief and Hope**

Chiriko woke slowly, drifting at the edges of consciousness before being awakened by a stifled sob. Her eyes fluttered open and took in her surroundings. She was in a beautiful room draped with rose and lavender colored silk between tall slender columns. Light pink bubbles of varying size floated near the ceiling. She closed her eyes and lay back against the soft firmness which supported her. Tinkling wind chimes sounded somewhere and the light giggling of young girls filled her ears. With a start the young auburn-haired girl sat up. Her friends were sprawled around her on silk cushions and Nyan Nyans moved quietly between sleeping forms.

"Littlest warrior is awake," the Nyan Nyan nearest Chiriko said with a soft giggle. "Tasuki-sama is awake too."

Chiriko looked around and saw Tasuki sitting with her back against the far wall, her head resting on her drawn up knees. The other girl's shoulders shook convulsively from time to time, but no sound came from her. Carefully, Chiriko stood and walked to the fiery seishi. She sat and leaned against the older girl.

"This may sound trite, but will you be okay?"

Tasuki didn't say anything. Just kept her fiery head bowed over her raised knees. Across the room Nuriko sat up with a groan and looked to where Hotohori lay.

"Y'okay?" Chiriko called.

Nuriko put a hand to her heart. "Can you feel it?" she asked in a voice ragged with emotion. "Can you feel the hole in your heart where Chichiri should be?"

Chiriko nodded, leaning closer into Tasuki's side, offering what support she could as she felt another convulsion wrack the older girl's body. In truth, Chichiri's death hadn't felt anything like Nuriko's had when they'd been fighting the Seiryuu Seishi in the book world. There was a defiant lack of... something, in Chiriko's heart, but she wasn't convinced that Chichiri was gone. She couldn't explain it, especially when she had no proof, but she would keep hoping that the blonde warrior had somehow escaped.

There was a soft tinkling of bells and Taiitsu-ko entered the room. Her long golden hair was pulled back into an intricate braid and her long gown was embroidered with flowers and birds. Bells dangled from her elaborate headdress. As if her entrance had been a cue, the rest of the warriors stirred and sat up. Nuriko and Hotohori shared a stricken look and the violet-eyed warrior began crying. Hotohori pulled her into his embrace. Mitsukake took a moment to comfort Tamahome before moving to each of the warriors to check them for injuries despite Nyan Nyan assurances that everyone had been healed.

"I am sorry for your loss," Taiitsu-ko said gently.

"What will we do now?" Hotohori asked. "We can't summon Suzaku without all the warriors, and I doubt we'll find a shinzahou here."

"We still need to rescue Miaka before we plan to call Suzaku," Tamahome reminded them in a subdued voice.

"You must also find the new priestess and the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho," Taiitsu-ko said.

Tamahome's head snapped up. "There is only one priestess, and that is Miaka," he said heatedly.

The other warriors, except for Tasuki, nodded.

"Perhaps 'medium' is a better word then" Taiitsu-ko said. "Miaka cannot couple with Suzaku since she has consummated her marriage with Tamahome. Her body is no longer a fitting vessel for the beast god's power."

Tamahome rose into a crouch with a low growl. Mitsukake put a restraining hand on the other man's shoulder. Taiitsu-ko ignored him.

"It seems that Suzaku agrees with you, however, and he will have no other priestess. Since Miaka cannot contain his power, he has chosen another vessel that he and Miaka can work through."

"Where can we find this, vessel?" Hotohori asked.

"That I cannot tell you," the Guardian said. "However," she held up a hand as the seishi began grumbling, "I can tell you that at least one of you knows her. It is up to you to discover who she is and you must convince her of the truthfulness of your story."

"That's just friggin' wonderful."

Everyone turned to look at Tasuki. She lifted her head from her knees revealing red-rimmed eyes and fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

"We lose Chichiri and now you tell us we have to convince some girl we don't even know that we're for real? When the hell do we catch a break?!"

She stood and in one fluid movement, spun and slammed her fist into the marble wall she'd been leaning against. Mitsukake winced at the sound of her knuckles cracking from the impact.

"How many lifetimes do we have to suffer through?!" Tasuki shouted. "How many times do we have to watch each other die?! I'm sick of it!"

She slammed her fist into the wall again, this time leaving a bloody splatter as bone broke through skin. Mitsukake started forward, the character on his left hand glowing faintly, but Tasuki turned and stopped him with the intensity of her gaze.

"Don't bother Mitsu," she said. "I'm going home. I'll get it taken care of later."

The fiery seishi turned to Taiitsu-ko. For a moment neither woman spoke and then the Guardian bowed her head in a soft jingling of bells. She raised a hand a Tasuki disappeared.

"I've sent her back to her apartment," the golden-haired woman said. "I would suggest that you keep an eye on her though. She is a bit unstable at the moment."

"No shit Sherlock," Tamahome muttered.

He didn't like the idea of going home to an empty house. He desperately wanted to find Mia and make sure she was all right.

"I will send you all back to your homes now," Taiitsu-ko said. "I suggest you try to find the medium quickly. I don't think that your enemy knows about her just yet so you have some time."

Hotohori stood and bowed. "Thank you for your help Taiitsu-ko."

She smiled and lifted her hand. There was a slight shift as they changed dimensions and all of the warriors found themselves at their respective places of residence.

-------------------------------------------------

Chiriko found herself in her room, lying on her bed. She allowed herself a moment to just lie there and feel the grief that threatened to consume her. Then she rose. She was surprised to find it was seven in the morning. They had been at Taiitsu-ko's palace longer that she'd realized. The young warrior walked to Mitsukake and Julie's room, knocking softly on their door. After a moment, Mitsukake stepped out into the hallway.

"I'm going to school," Chiriko said. "The medium is probably not anyone I know, so I'll leave it to the rest of you to find her."

"Chiriko–" her brother began.

"No. It's okay. I still can't do much to help all of you, so I'll just work on keeping up appearances. If you do find some way I can help, though, I'll be happy to do it."

Mitsukake pulled his sister into a hug. "Give yourself more credit Chiriko," he said softly.

Chiriko hugged him back and nodded. "I'll see you later."

She shuffled back to her room and dressed for school. Though she didn't feel like eating, she grabbed some pop-tarts and headed out. A few blocks down the road, she realized she should have asked Mitsukake to drive her. She was going to be late.

-------------------------------------------------

"Skyler. Hey Skyler."

A gentle poke in the ribs brought her attention back to the present. Leilani was looking at her with worried eyes.

"You've been a million miles away all day. What's wrong?"

Chiriko dropped her eyes to the tray of food in front of her. It was lunchtime and she still just wasn't hungry. She'd been pushing food around the tray for the better part of the lunch hour.

"What's wrong?" Leilani asked again.

"A good friend of mine. . . passed away last night."

Tears stung Chiriko's eyes and then rolled down her cheeks.

"Oh, Skyler. I'm so sorry. Why on earth are you here?" her friend asked. "You should be at home with your brother."

Chiriko shook her head. "No. I told him I wanted to come to school. I didn't want to sit around and think about it."

"So you came to school to mope instead?" Leilani's tone was teasing, but she quickly grew serious again. "Come on, let's go talk to the nurse. I'm sure you can get out of school for this. I'll come with you. We can hang at my house. Mom and Dad won't be back for a while."

Chiriko started to shake her head, then stopped. She really wasn't doing any good at school. At least with Leilani she'd be able to put her grief aside, if only for a little.

"All right," she said. "But let's not tell anyone. They'll figure it out. Let's just go."

-------------------------------------------------

Tasuki sat in the park. She'd woken to find herself on her bed in the dorm, thinking everything had been a bad dream. She rushed into Chichiri's room, only to find it empty. The bed unslept in. She'd broken down again there, sobbing into her friend's pillow, then fallen asleep on Chichiri's bed.

She'd woken later, showered and dressed. Her hand had been healed, though she hadn't noticed it earlier. She was half tempted to punch a wall again, just to spite Taiitsu-ko, but thought better of it. Unable to stand the grief anymore, Tasuki had left the dorm at a run. She hadn't stopped until, exhausted, she'd collapsed on the park bench.

"Why Chichiri?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. "WHY?!"

"You're late," a cold voice said.

Tasuki stood and whirled. Kurotatsu stood behind her. Tasuki pulled her tessen.

"Our appointment was for a day ago, at sunset," the Dark Dragon said.

"So stop yammerin' and fight already!" Tasuki yelled.

Finally, something to get her mind of Chichiri. Something to take her anger and despair out on. She leapt into the air, tessen pointed at Kurotatsu.

"Rekka Shinen!"

The demon lord laughed as the fire turned to steam against her water barrier.

"Pathetic."

Thick streamers of water wrapped around Tasuki and dragged her back to earth.

"Fire and water are mortal enemies, or didn't you know that?" Kurotatsu sneered. "My water is far more powerful than your pitiful little flame will ever be."

"Face me like a man!" Tasuki roared, slashing at the bands of water with her tessen.

Kurotatsu laughed. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? You're hardly a man anymore. Only a feeble little girl, trying to desperately to protect those you care for. But you can't even do that, can you?"

Tasuki went limp, the fight suddenly gone from her. She closed her eyes and felt the bands of water tightening, squeezing the life out of her.

"Chichiri, help me," Tasuki whispered.

With a dull thud, Tasuki hit the ground. She gasped for breath and forced her eyes open. Tamahome was kneeling over her.

"Are you some kind of idiot?" he asked. "What were you thinking, facing that woman alone?"

"Don't yell Tama," Nuriko said, coming up behind him, supporting Hotohori.

"What. . .?" Tasuki asked weakly.

"We were coming to check on you," Tamahome said. "You didn't answer your phone, and we were worried. Especially after your outburst at Taiitsu-ko's."

Tasuki struggled to stand and pushed away Tamahome's helping hands.

"Well thanks, but no thanks. I can take care of myself."

Tasuki sheathed the tessen at her back again and turned away from her friends. Kurotatsu was gone and judging by Hotohori's limp, she'd taken a parting shot.

"Tasuki," Nuriko said sharply.

"Let her go," Tamahome said.

Tasuki stormed away, heading back to her dorm. She wasn't a man in this life, but she was still Tasuki!

"I'll save you Chichiri," Tasuki muttered to herself. "For all the times you've saved me, I'll save you now. You can't be dead. Somehow, Kurotatsu is you. But not for long!"

Things weren't over between her and Kurotatsu. Not by a long shot.


	15. 14 Medium

**Medium**

Leilani made popcorn and dragged Chiriko up to her room. They flopped down on Leilani's bed and popped in a funny movie. Soon they were laughing and quoting along with the dialogue.

"The Italian Court," Leilani quoted. "What better place to court Italians."

Chiriko giggled. "Get it?"

"Got it," Leilani said.

"Good," Chiriko finished.

Though outwardly happy, Chiriko was inwardly guilty.

Here I am, laughing and eating popcorn, while the older seishi are looking for the medium. But what can I do?

"Skyler."

Chiriko blinked and focused on the present.

"Huh?"

"You're still a million miles away."

Chiriko sighed and hung her head. "Sorry Leil. I just. . . feel so useless."

Leilani hugged her friend. "You're not useless. But death is something none of us can do anything about."

She jumped up and turned off the movie, then went to her book shelf, returning a moment later with a thin leather bound book.

"Maybe this will help take your mind off it. I found this book a few weeks ago, but I can't read it. I know you've been studying Chinese and was wondering if you could translate any of it."

Chiriko's heart was pounding. Though she'd never seen the book before, she knew what it was.

"It's the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho," she said. "The Universe of the Four Gods."

Leilani grinned. "You can read it." She held it out to Chiriko.

As Chiriko reached for the book, something crashed downstairs. She grabbed Leilani's wrist.

"We need to get out of here," the young seishi said.

"It's probably my brother," Leilani said.

Chiriko shook her head. Something was prickling at the hairs at the back of her neck. "We need to go. Whatever is down there, it's not your brother, and it's not friendly."

There was another crash, and the sound of several voices, though the words were indistinct. Chiriko nodded to Leilani's window.

"I don't think they know anyone's home. Let's go out this way. We'll go to my place and call Jason."

Leilani nodded, her eyes frightened. She put the leather bound book on the bed, but Chiriko shook her head.

"Bring it. We'll need it later."

"Okay."

Leilani stuffed the book into her backpack and swung it onto her shoulders. Chiriko opted to leave her own pack. There was nothing irreplaceable in it. The two girls slipped out of the second story window and out onto the roof. Leilani led the way to the back of the house which looked out over a large overgrown field.

"Once we're off the roof, we head for the field," Chiriko whispered. "Then, when we're sure they're not following us, we'll double back to my place."

Leilani nodded. She looked pale, but determined.

There was a six or seven foot drop from the roof to the ground and Chiriko sat, her legs dangling over the edge. A thrill of fear went down her spine as she kicked her legs and pushed with her arms, sending her out into the air. She landed crouched, and dropped into a roll to lessen the impact. Leilani landed a moment later at her side.

"Run," Chiriko hissed.

The girls clasped hands and charged into the field. The only sound was their harsh breathing and the soft _shush_ of their bodies against the tall weeds. With her seishi enhanced body, Chiriko knew she could run for a long time, but after several minutes of hard running she felt Leilani lagging. She stopped and tugged the other girl down by her side. As Leilani gasped and tried to recover her breath, covering her mouth to keep the harsh sounds muffled, Chiriko closed her eyes and concentrated on listening.

How much noise does a shadow make? she wondered. The question was stupid.

"We need to keep going," she whispered to Leilani.

Leilani's eyes were huge and she was still drawing ragged breaths, but she nodded. Chiriko felt a swell of pride for her friend. She squeezed Leilani's hand.

"We'll make it."

Leilani nodded, squeezing back. Together, they stood up and ran.

* * *

Tasuki was a mess. First she'd lost Chichiri, then she'd been beaten by Kurotatsu. She'd gone back to the dorm and locked herself in her room. She hadn't eaten since Taiitsu-ko had sent her away from the palace, but she had no appetite. She spent her time alternately crying and swearing.

Her worst fear was that Kurotatsu wouldn't fight her again. Tasuki had gotten the idea stuck in her head that the Dark Dragon was the true Chichiri. It was just like with Tamahome. Chichiri had been given kodoku and didn't remember her former friends and life. Tasuki was sure that if she could fight Kurotatsu again, she could force the real Chichiri out of the drug induced forgetfulness.

"It's not just the kodoku," Tasuki murmured. "It's me. She didn't even recognize me."

The former bandit staggered to her feet and left her room. She made it to the bathroom and stood staring at her reflection in the mirror for a long time. Her amber eyes were burning with an inner fire.

"I know I can do it," she said. "I can bring Chichiri back."

She began rummaging through drawers and finally found a pair of scissors. She smiled wildly at her reflection.

"I'll make her remember me."

* * *

Chiriko and Leilani made it to Chiriko's house without incident. While Leilani collapsed on the couch and caught her breath, Chiriko moved around the ground level, closing blinds and making sure windows and doors were locked. Only then did she sit down and relax.

"Skyler, what's this all about?" Leilani asked. "It could have just been my mom or dad home from work early. And you looked really surprised that I had that book. The Shijin-whatever you called it."

"Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho," Chiriko said absently. And I'm sure it wasn't one of your family members. Call it a hunch, but I'm pretty positive it was someone who'd have hurt us."

"Okay. I trust you on that. But what about the book? It's written in Japanese or Chinese or something. I know you're a super brain, but . . ."

Apprehension made Chiriko's stomach clench. Leilani wouldn't believe her. Who in their right mind would? Gods and warriors from another world. Chiriko was living it and it was still a bit strange to her.

"Leil, you have to trust me. That book, and you, are very important. There's an evil power trying to get a hold in this world and that book is the only way we can stop it."

"We?"

"You and me. My brother. And some friends." Chiriko took off her right shoe and sock. She concentrated a moment and her symbol began to glow.

"You know me as Skyler, but I have another name. Chiriko. I'm a warrior of Suzaku, born into this world to help protect it. The only reason I can think of is because the Priestess of Suzaku comes from this world."

Leilani was silent, staring at her friend with an unreadable expression. The character on Chiriko's foot faded and she pulled on her sock and shoe again.

"I think you've been chosen to be a vessel for Suzaku's power. Not the miko . . . er, priestess, but a medium between Suzaku and the priestess. We need your help Leilani. The other warriors and myself. We can't find the priestess, and one of the other warriors was killed last night. Will you help us? We can't win without you."

Leilani was quiet for a moment. Then she shook her head. "I thought you were joking, but then you mentioned your friend's death. You wouldn't joke about that. But I can't accept this Skyler. It doesn't make sense. That thing you did with your foot was cool, but it's not proof. Whatever was at my house isn't proof because we didn't actually see it."

"Leil . . ."

Leilani pulled her backpack into her lap and fished out the Shi Jin Ten Chi Sho. "Here. Take it. I'll stay here till mom and dad get home, but I can't help you, or your friends. I'm just a kid, and I'm not very religious. I can't help a god."

Chiriko reached out and took the book. For a second, both she and Leilani were holding the book. A warmth suffused Chirko's body and she thought she heard a phoenix cry. Her eyes flicked to Leilani to see if she'd noticed anything. Leilani was staring at something over Chiriko's shoulder, her mouth a surprised 'O'. Chiriko's heart clenched and she whipped around, leaving the book in Leilani's hand.

There was nothing behind her.

She turned back to Leilani. "Leil?"

"I thought . . . I saw . . ." She blinked and shook her head. "No. I must have imagined it." She held the book to her chest.

Chiriko stood and touched her friend's arm. "I'm going to call Mitsu . . . er, Jason. He'll come home and we can get this sorted out." She left her friend on the couch and headed back to the kitchen.

"Do you . . . want . . ."

She turned back to see a huge shadow looming up behind Leilani. Without conscious thought she began gathering her ki and chanting a spell Chichiri had taught her. With the last word of the spell, she flung her hands at the shadow-beast. Bright red ki collided with shadow-form and the world exploded.

* * *

Tasuki sent another huge gout of flame into the sky.

"KUROTATSU!" she screamed. "Come fight me!"

Her voice echoed around the college stadium. It was a fitting arena for their final battle, Tasuki thought. How many times had they met here as Chani and Thane to run against each other? Too many to count. Surely this would jog Chichiri's memory.

"KUROTATSU!"

"Stop your screaming, girl," a cold voice said from behind Tasuki.

Tasuki spun around, a feral smile lighting her face. She had the satisfaction of seeing Kurotatsu take a backward step.

"Remind you of anyone you know?" Tasuki asked, advancing a step.

She ran her hand through her short fiery locks. She'd chopped her long hair off and styled her ragged bangs so they partially fell over the side of her face. With her cocky grin in place, she looked almost masculine.

"Yes—No!" Kurotatsu pulled the short sword from her belt. "Your little tricks won't work. This time I shall kill you."

Tasuki pointed the tessen at the water demon. "No. I'll drag Chichiri kicking and screaming out of you if I have to, but I won't die! I swear it by Suzaku!"


	16. 15 Fire vs Water

**Fire vs. Water**

They'd been driving around the town in Tamhome's car since early that morning, trying to find the medium. Not for the first time, Nuriko wished Chichiri was with them.

_She'd have found the medium in a second_, Nuriko thought, fighting back the tears that accompanied thoughts of the gentle blonde warrior.

"Taiitsu-ko said the medium was someone we know," Hotohori reminded them.

They'd checked Tamahome's dojo, and a couple of college hang-outs with no luck. Nuriko was frustrated and discouraged.

"Maybe we should drop by the hospital and see if Mitsukake has found anything," she said. When no one responded, she looked at Tamahome.

"Tama?"

Nuriko poked the unresponsive warrior's arm. Tamahome blinked and looked at her, then Hotohori.

"Huh? Sorry. I thought I heard—" He shook his head. "I think Chiriko might be in trouble."

"The squirt's probably at school," Nuriko said affectionately. "How much trouble can she get in to there?"

Tamahome nodded. "You're right."

A huge gout of flame erupted from the stadium half a block away and the car screeched to a halt. As the three warriors stared, another pillar of flame shot into the sky, followed closely by what appeared to be a dragon made of water.

"Tasuki!" Nuriko gasped, her violet eyes wide.

"Is she trying to get herself killed, fighting that demon alone?" Hotohori growled.

Tamahome shoved the car into gear, throwing the other two warriors back against their seats, and sped toward the arena. Water flooded the parking lot and Nuriko hesitated to step into it, afraid of a trap, but Tamahome jumped out of the car and started running.

"Tama, wait!" she yelled.

He didn't respond.

"Come on," Hotohori urged, taking her hand.

Together, they followed Tamahome into one of the entrances.

"Impulsive in the last life, impulsive in this one," Nuriko muttered.

Hotohori squeezed her hand. "I recall you being pretty impulsive as well. Weren't you the first to—"

"Don't go there, okay." Nuriko's throat was tight with sudden emotion. Chichiri had sacrificed herself for them already. Who else would they lose? "I don't want to lose anyone else."

An explosion rocked the stadium. The two warriors picked up their pace, racing after Tamahome who seemed to have a good idea of where he was going. They ran through the flooded hallways, into a locker room, and burst out into the stadium. Tamahome was running across the field, yelling to Tasuki. The two combatants on the field didn't seem to notice the intruders. About twenty feet from Tauski and Kurotatsu, Tamahome was suddenly stopped by a brilliant purple barrier. Nuriko and Hotohori hurried to where he stood.

"Tasuki!" Tamahome yelled, slamming his fist into the barrier.

Nuriko activated her gauntlets and tried her strength against the barrier as well. "It seems pretty solid," she said, wincing at the pain in her knuckles.

"Let me try the holy sword," Hotohori said.

"Hurry," Tamahome urged. "Tasuki's not looking good."

* * *

Kurotatsu smirked at her opponent. "Your friends want to rescue you."

"I don't need 'em," Tasuki growled, purposely not looking at the other seishi. "I can finish you—"

The red-haired girl was hit with several water balls. There was a sickening sound as one of her ribs snapped, and Tasuki sank to her knees, clutching her side.

"You were saying?" Kurotatsu taunted. "You can't beat me. I know you celestial warriors. Your strengths and weaknesses. You can't hope to beat me."

Using the tessen, Tasuki pushed herself to her feet. "I don't want to beat you, Chichiri. I just want you to remember who you are. My friend. Suzaku no Seishi Chichiri."

A smirk twisted Kurotatsu's lips. "You just don't get it, do you insect? I'm. Not. Chichiri!"

Each word was punctuated by another attack from the Dark Dragon. The seishi name was screamed as a curse, and the force of the attack threw Tasuki across the football field.

* * *

"Tasuki!" Nuriko screamed.

She slammed her gauntleted fists into the side of the barrier, to no avail.

"Come on, Tasuki," Tamahome whispered. "Get up." His head whipped around to look at Hotohori, vainly struggling to force the holy sword through the barrier. "Maybe if Nuriko and I help—"

"Stop wonderin' and start helpin'," Nuriko said.

* * *

Tasuki had landed on her injured side. The breath left her lungs in a forceful whoosh, and refused to come back in. The tessen was nowhere to be seen.

_Get up, Tasuki_, she snarled to herself. _You took worse from Tamahome in Kutou. This is Chichiri you're fighting for!_

Still unable to pull in a breath for the pain in her side, Tasuki forced herself to her feet. She swayed and for a moment, she thought she was going to black out. She gasped, sucking air into her abused body and let out a harsh cry.

Kurotatsu stood only a few feet away, and in her hand was the tessen.

"Looking for your little toy?" the Dark Dragon taunted. She tossed the diamond fan from hand to hand. "I think you're finished, little firebrand. You're friends can't help you, and now you've lost your weapon."

Tasuki's heart sank. Days of sleeplessness and hardly eating were taking their toll. She was at the end of her strength. Tears flooded her eyes and she bowed her head.

"Chichiri, I'm sorry," she whispered.

Warmth bloomed on Tasuki's forearm. She blinked her eyes open and stared at the glowing mark there. Yoku. Wings. Tasuki's eyes widened. She looked up at Kurotatsu.

"Made your peace?" the Dark Dragon asked.

A smirk appeared on Tasuki's lips. "I've been playin' stupid, I admit it. I'm a regular baka." She held up her glowing symbol for Kurotatsu to see. "Ya know what this means, Dragon?"

"Wings," Kurotatsu said. "I don't see the significance. You're still going to die."

Tasuki shook her head. "Oh no. Not me. Not today." She looked over at Tamahome, Nuriko and Hotohori and waved. "Be there in a sec guys!" She turned her gaze back to Kurotatsu.

The Dark Dargon's purple aura was back in full force and she was readying an attack. With a snarl, Kurotatsu flung the attack at Tasuki . . . and missed.

Tasuki chuckled. "Not so hot now, are ya?"

Kurotatsu flung three more attacks in rapid succession, and Tasuki dodged them all.

"I forgot what my first gift from Suzaku was," Tasuki said. She moved, and was suddenly in Kurotatsu's face, ripping the tessen from the startled woman's hands. "My first gift is speed."

Tasuki slammed the hilt of the tessen into Kurotatsu's solar plexus. The Dark Dragon slumped forward. Tasuki tried to catch her, but the pain from her broken ribs sent her to the sodden ground next to Kurotatsu.

"Tasuki no Baka!" the red-haired seishi heard Nuriko scream.

Pounding feet heralded the arrival of Tamahome, Nuriko and Hotohori.

"Don't move her," Tamahome warned as Nuriko fell to her knees at Tasuki's side. Hotohori was on his cell phone. Tasuki prayed he was calling Mitsukake.

Nuriko was crying. "You stupid, arrogant, thick-headed . . ."

"Love you too, Nuri-chan," Tasuki wheezed.

"Mitsukake's on his way," Hotohori said.

Tasuki turned her head and looked at Kurotatsu. "I got her back. We have Chichiri back."

"You did good, Tasuki," Tamahome said. "Just rest now."

Tasuki closed her eyes, a small smile on her face. She had her best friend back, they were sure to find the medium and then Miaka, and then the bad guys were going down.

Someone called her name. The voice was far away, but familiar. It wasn't Tama, Nuriko, or Hotohori though.

"Tasuki!"

Tasuki opened her eyes. The other three seishi were facing away from her, looking toward the locker room doors.

"No way," Tamahome said.

Nuriko seemed just as confused. "Who . . . ?"

"Not this again." Hotohori had the holy sword in hand.

Tasuki looked past her fellow warriors, and her eyes widened. Three figures were running toward them. Chiriko, a girl Tasuki didn't know, and . . .

No, it couldn't be.

Tasuki looked at Kurotatsu, then back at the figure with the silver-blue hair and fly away bangs running toward her.

"What the hell?"


End file.
